The country doctor / by Honoré de Balzac.

  • Honoré de Balzac
Date:
[1899]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The country doctor / by Honoré de Balzac. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    hand, Jacquotte talked loud and continuously. If she were silent for a moment, and took hold of the corner of her apron to lift it triangularly, this gesture announced some long remonstrance addressed to her master or the man-servant. Of all the cooks of the kingdom, Jacquotte was certainly the happiest. To render her happiness as complete as a happiness can be here below, her vanity found itself ceaselessly gratified, the town accepted her as an intermediate authority placed between the mayor and the rural guard. On entering the kitchen the master found no one there. Where the devil have they gone? said he.— “ Pardon me, he added, turning to Genestas, for bringing you in this way. The entrance of honor is by the garden, but 1 am so little accustomed to receiving company, that—Jacquotte! To this name, uttered almost imperiously, a woman’s voice replied from the interior of the house. A moment later Jacquotte took the offensive by calling in her turn Benassis, who went promptlv into the dining-room. There you are, monsieur! she said; you never do any other way. You always invite com- pany to dinner without giving me notice, and you think that everything is arranged when you have called out: ‘Jacquotte!’ Are you not going to receive monsieur in the kitchen? Was it not necessary to open the salon, to light the fire in it? Nicole is there and is going to arrange everything. Meanwhile,
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