to　the　magazin；　but　our　reputation　having　preceded　us；　we　were
  honored　with　a　fiacre；　making　the　journey　between　the　Douane　and　the
  shop　on　the　knee　of　a　confidential　commissionaire。
  ｛Picardie　=　province　of　France；　north　of　Evreux；　barrieres　=　gates　　at
  the　edge　of　Paris；　where　local　customs　duties　were　collected；　magazin　=
  shop；　fiacre　=　a　kind　of　carriage；　　Douane　=　customs　house；　confidential
  commissionaire　=　special　messenger｝
  Great　was　the　satisfaction　of　our　little　party　as　we　first　drove　down
  through　the　streets　of　this　capital　of　Europethe　centre　of　fashion　and
  the　abode　of　elegance。　Our　natures　had　adapted　themselves　to
  circumstances；　and　we　no　longer　pined　for　the　luxuries　of　the　linum
  usitatissimum；　but　were　ready　to　enter　into　all　the　pleasures　of　our　new
  existence；　which　we　well　understood　was　to　be　one　of　pure　parade；　for
  no　handkerchief　of　our　quality　was　ever　employed　on　any　of　the　more
  menial　offices　of　the　profession。　We　might　occasionally　brush　a　lady's
  cheek；　or　conceal　a　blush　or　a　smile；　but　the　usitatissimum　had　been　left
  behind　us　in　the　fields。　The　fiacre　stopped　at　the　door　of　a　celebrated
  perfumer；　and　the　commissionaire；　deeming　us　of　too　much　value　to　be
  left　on　a　carriage　seat；　took　us　in　her　hand　while　she　negotiated　a　small
  affair　with　its　mistress。　This　was　our　introduction　to　the　pleasant
  association　of　sweet　odors；　of　which　it　was　to　be　our　fortune　to　enjoy　in
  future　the　most　delicate　and　judicious　communion。　We　knew　very　well
  that　things　of　this　sort　were　considered　vulgar；　unless　of　the　purest
  quality　and　used　with　the　tact　of　good　society；　but　still　it　was　permitted
  to　sprinkle　a　very　little　lavender；　or　exquisite　eau　de　cologne；　on　a
  pocket…handkerchief。　The　odor　of　these　two　scents；　therefore；
  appeared　quite　natural　to　us；　and　as　Madame　Savon　never　allowed　any
  perfume；　or　articles　（as　these　things　are　technically　termed）；　of　inferior
  quality　to　pollute　her　shop；　we　had　no　scruples　about　inhaling　the
  delightful　fragrance　that　breathed　in　the　place。　Desiree；　the
  commissionaire；　could　not　depart　without　permitting　her　friend；
  Madame　Savon；　to　feast　her　eyes　on　the　treasure　in　her　own　hands。　The
  handkerchiefs　were　unfolded；　amidst　a　hundred　dieux！　ciels！　and
  dames！　Our　fineness　and　beauty　were　extolled　in　a　manner　that　was
  perfectly　gratifying　to　the　self…esteem　of　the　whole　family。　Madame
  Savon　imagined　that　even　her　perfumes　would　be　more　fragrant　in　such
  company；　and　she　insisted　on　letting　one　dropa　single　dropof　her
  eau　de　cologne　fall　on　the　beautiful　texture。　I　was　the　happy
  handkerchief　that　was　thus　favored；　and　long　did　I　riot　in　that　delightful
  odor；　which　was　just　strong　enough　to　fill　the　air　with　sensations；　rather
  than　impressions　of　all　that　is　sweet　and　womanly　in　the　female
  wardrobe。
  ｛usitatissimum　had　been　left　behind　=　the　species　name　of　linen　means
  〃most　useful〃；　Madame　Savon　=　literally；　Mrs。　Soap；　articles　=　short　for
  〃articles　de　Paris〃　or　Parisian　specialties；　dieux！　=　dear　me！；　ciels！　=
  good　heavens！；　dames　=　my　oh　my！｝
  CHAPTER　III。
  Notwithstanding　this　accidental　introduction　to　one　of　the　nicest
  distinctions　of　good　society；　and　the　general　exhilaration　that　prevailed
  in　our　party；　I　was　far　from　being　perfectly　happy。　To　own　the　truth；　I
  had　left　my　heart　in　Picardie。　I　do　not　say　I　was　in　love；　I　am　far　from
  certain　that　there　is　any　precedent　for　a　pocket…handkerchief's　being　in
  love　at　all；　and　I　am　quite　sure　that　the　sensations　I　experienced　were
  different　from　those　I　have　since　had　frequent　occasion　to　hear
  described。　The　circumstances　which　called　them　forth　were　as　follows：
  The　manufactory　in　which　our　family　was　fabricated　was　formerly
  known　as　the　Chateau　de　la　Rocheaimard；　and　had　been　the　property
  of　the　Vicomte　de　la　Rocheaimard　previously　to　the　revolution　that
  overturned　the　throne　of　Louis　XVI。　The　vicomte　and　his　wife　joined
  the　royalists　at　Coblentz；　and　the　former；　with　his　only　son；　Adrien　de　la
  Rocheaimard；　or　the　Chevalier　de　la　Rocheaimard；　as　he　was　usually
  termed；　had　joined　the　allies　in　their　attempted　invasion　on　the　soil　of
  France。　The　vicomte；　a　marechal　du　camp；　had　fallen　in　battle；　but　the
  son　escaped；　and　passed　his　youth　in　exile；　marrying　a　few　years　later；　a
  cousin　whose　fortunes　were　at　as　low　an　ebb　as　his　own。　One　child；
  Adrienne；　was　the　sole　issue　of　this　marriage；　having　been　born　in　the
  year　1810。　Both　the　parents　died　before　the　Restoration；　leaving　the
  little　girl　to　the　care　of　her　pious　grandmother；　la　vicomtesse；　who
  survived；　in　a　feeble　old　age；　to　descant　on　the　former　grandeur　of　her
  house；　and　to　sigh；　in　common　with　so　many　others；　for　le　bon　vieux
  temps。　At　the　Restoration；　there　was　some　difficulty　in　establishing　the
  right　of　the　de　la　Rocheaimards　to　their　share　of　the　indemnity；　a
  difficulty　I　never　heard　explained；　but　which　was　probably　owing　to　the
  circumstance　that　there　was　no　one　in　particular　to　interest　themselves　in
  the　matter；　but　an　old　woman　of　sixty…five　and　a　little　girl　of　four。　Such
  appellants；　unsupported　by　money；　interest；　or　power；　seldom　make　out
  a　very　strong　case　for　reparation　of　any　sort；　in　this　righteous　world　of
  ours；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　goodness　of　the　dauphine　it　is　probable
  that　the　vicomtesse　and　her　grand…daughter　would　have　been　reduced
  to　downright　beggary。　But　the　daughter　of　the　late　King　got　intelligence
  of　the　necessities　of　the　two　descendants　of　Crusaders；　and　a　pension
  of　two　thousand　francs　a　year　was　granted；　en　attendant。
  ｛Rocheaimard　=　both　the　Chateau　and　the　family　are　fictitious；　marechal
  du　camp　=　general　commanding　a　brigade；　le　bon　vieux　temps　=　the
  good　old　days；　late　King　=　Louis　XVI；　guillotined　in　1793；　en　attendant
  =　for　the　time　being｝
  Four　hundred　dollars　a　year　does　not　appear　a　large　sum；　even　to　the
  nouveaux　riches　of　America；　but　it　sufficed　to　give　Adrienne　and　her
  grandmother　a　comfortable；　and　even　a　respectable　subsistence　in　the
  provinces。　It　was　impossible　for　them　to　inhabit　the　chateau；　now
  converted　into　a　workshop　and　filled　with　machinery；　but　lodgings　were
  procured　in　its　immediate　vicinity。　Here　Madame　de　la　Rocheaimard
  whiled　away　the　close　of　a　varied　and　troubled　life；　if　not　in　absolute
  peace；　still　not　in　absolute　misery；　while　her　grand…daughter　grew　into
  young　womanhood；　a　miracle　of　goodness　and　pious　devotion　to　her
  sole　surviving　parent。　The　strength　of　the　family　tie　in　France；　and　its
  comparative　weakness　in　America；　has　been　the　subject　of　frequent
  comment　among　travelers。　I　do　not　know　that　all　which　has　been　said　is
  rigidly　just；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　much　of　it　is；　and；　as　I　am　now
  writing　to　Americans；　and　of　French　people；　I　see　no　particular　reason
  why　the　fact　should　be　concealed。　Respect　for　years；　deference　to　the
  authors　of　their　being；　and　submission　to　parental　authority　are
  inculcated　equally　by　the　morals　and　the　laws　of　France。　The　conseilles
  de　famille　is　a　beautiful　and　wise　provision　of　the　national　code；　and　aids
  greatly　in　maintaining　that　system　of　patriarchal　rule　which　lies　at　the
  foundation　of　the　whole　social　structure。　Alas！　in　the　case　of　the
  excellent　Adrienne；　this　conseille　de　famille　was　easily　assembled；　and
  possessed　perfect　unanimity。　The　wars；　the　guillotine　and　exile　had
  reduced　it　to　two；　one　of　which　was　despotic　in　her　government；　so　far
  as　theory　was　concerned　at　least；　possibly；　at　times；　a　little　so　in
  practice。　Still　Adrienne；　on　the　whole　grew　up　tolerably　happy。　She　was
  taught　most　that　is　suitable　for　a　gentlewoman；　without　being　crammed
  with　superfluous　accomplishments；　and；　aided　by　the　good　cure；　a　man
  who　remembered　her　grandfather；　had　both　polished　and　stored　her
  mind。　Her　manners　were　of　the　excellent　tone　that　distinguished　the
  good　society　of　Paris　before　the　revolution；　being　natural；　quiet；　simple
  and　considerate。　She　seldom　laughed；　I　fear；　but　her　smiles　were
  sweetness　and　benevolence　itself。
  ｛conseille　de　famille　=　council　of　relatives；　supervised　by　a　judge；　that
  supervised　the　care　of　minors　in　France；　cure　=　priest｝
  The　bleaching　grounds　of　our　manufactory　were　in　the　old　park　of　the
  chateau。　Thither　Mad。　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　fond　of　coming　in　the
  fine　mornings　of　June；　for　many　of　the　roses　and　lovely　Persian　lilacs
  that　once　abounded　there　still　remained。　I　first　saw　Adrienne　in　one　of
  these　visits；　the　quality　of　our　little　family　circle　attracting　her　attention。
  One　of　the　bleachers；　indeed；　was　an　old　servant　of　the　vicomte's；　and　it
  was　a　source　of　pleasure　to　him　to　point　out　any　thing　to　the　ladies　that
  he　thought　might　prove　interesting。　This　was　the　man　who　so　diligently
  read　the　Moniteur；　giving　a　religious　credence　to　all　it　contained。　He
  fancied　no　hand　so　worthy　to　hold　fabrics　of　such　exquisite　fineness　as
  that　of　Mademoiselle　Adrienne；　and　it　was　through　his　assiduity　that　I
  had　the　honor　of　being　first　placed　within　the　gentle　pressure　of　her
  beautiful　little　fingers。　This　occurred　about　a　month　before　our　departure
  for　Paris。
  Adrienne　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　then　just　twenty。　Her　beauty　was　of　a
  character　that　is　not　common　in　France；　but　which；　when　it　does　exist；　is
  now