Chapter 169 Eight or two are not a pair

We have just mentioned M. Gillenormand's two daughters, who were born ten years apart.They had been so unlike each other in their youth that it was difficult to tell that they were sisters, either in temperament or appearance.The little one is a lovely person, all things that belong to the light can attract her, she loves flowers and trees, poetry and music, admires the bright and limpid sky, warm, hearty, when she was a child, her ideal was to promise herself to a A vaguely heroic figure.The big one has her fantasies too: she sees a businessman in the sky, a nice fat and very rich arms dealer, a very splendid stupid husband, a man radiant with gold, or, perhaps, a governor; Banquets in provincial halls, messengers hanging from chains around their necks and waiting in the vestibule, balls at public houses, speeches at city halls, being the governor's wife.All of this is what lingers in her imagination.These two sisters had dreamed their own dreams and walked their own paths when they were girls.They both had wings, one was like an angel and the other was like a goose.

No imagination can be fully realized, at least in this world.In our day, no heaven is practical.The girl was married to the person she liked, but she died.My sister was never married. When the elder sister appeared from the story we are talking about now, she was already a piece of pure ancient white jade, a piece of old wood that could not be burned. She had a sharp nose and a dullness that no one had ever seen before. head.A small thing which stood out was that no one knew her nickname except a very few of her family, and everyone called her Miss Gillenormand. When it comes to manners, Miss Gillenormand is as good as Miss.That had grown to an intolerable formality.There was one time in her life where she dreaded the thought of a man who saw her garter one day.

The years have only enhanced this relentless coyness.She always thinks her scarf is not thick enough, and she is always afraid that it is not high enough.She added countless hooks and pins where no one would think to look.The original meaning of self-love is: the fortress is not threatened but must be defended at every step. But, to see who can guess the innocent mind of the old woman, she often let an officer of the pike cavalry, a grand-nephew named Theodule, kiss her, and it was not without pleasure. In spite of her having such a beloved pikeman, it is absolutely appropriate that we call her a shy and reserved old lady.Mademoiselle Gillenormand had a half-light soul.Shy and restrained is also a kind of character with mixed good and evil.

In addition to being shy and reserved, she also believes in God, which complements each other.She is a believer in the Church of Our Lady of the Virgin. On certain festivals, she wears a white mask, hums and recites some special scriptures, worships the "sacred blood" and respects the "sacred heart", and is closed with many faithful believers In a chapel, staring for hours before an old Jesuit altar, letting her spirit wander back and forth among clouds of marble and long gilt-painted bars. She had made a friend in the chapel, an old maid like herself, a girl named Faubouis, absolutely stupid, and Mademoiselle Gillenormand liked to be with her, so that she could show herself as a condor.Apart from reciting "Lamb of God" and "Ave Maria", the only skill of the Fubois girl is to make various jams.Miss Fobois was typical of her kind, a stubborn, witless ermine.

Let us point out that Miss Gillenormand, instead of gaining nothing in her old age, was getting worse every year.That is the inevitable tendency of people who do not cheer themselves up.She never thought ill of others, that was a very good quality; later, the years wore away the edges and corners, and time further softened her.She was just sad, a kind of sadness for no reason, and she didn't know why.She felt that life was coming to an end before it even started, and her voice, smile, and actions showed such a sense of panic and confusion everywhere. She runs the housework for her father.Monsieur Gillenormand had a daughter by his side, just as Bienvenu, whom we have seen before, had a sister by his side.This kind of family consisting of an old man and an old girl is not uncommon, and the scene of the two old people living together is always fascinating.

In the family, besides the old girl and the old man, there was a child, a little boy who would tremble and remain silent in the presence of M. Gillenormand.Monsieur Gillenormand never once spoke to the boy without being harsh, sometimes raising his cane: "Come, sir! Scoundrel, rascal, come here! Answer me, monster! Show me you, little rascal!" he said. Say something like that, but my heart really hurts him. That is his grandson.We'll see this kid again later.