CHAPTER XVIII
A NEW YEAR FETE
The next morning was the day of the New Year. As usual, every one didas he or she chose during the morning hours, but luncheon time broughtthem all together again.
The three boys had been out of doors all the morning, and seemed gladto return again to the society of the American strangers.
The girls had been happy enough by themselves, and though they likedthe French boys well enough, had privately agreed that they were nothalf as nice as American boys.
But half a dozen young people, if good-natured and enthusiastic, arebound to have a merry time together, and as the six grew betteracquainted their national differences wore away somewhat.
Ma'amselle announced that the fete of the day would be an early eveningparty, followed by a supper.
She had invited the neighbouring gentry, both young and old, as was hercustom on Jour de L'AN, and, as she explained, she was making it "moreof an elaborateness" this year by asking her guests to come in fancycostumes.
This delighted the girls, for they all loved dressing up, but they hadno notion where their fancy costumes were to come from.
But Ma'amselle replied, "It is arranged," and during the afternoon sheled them to a large apartment which she called the Room of the Robes.
Here she displayed to the enraptured girls costume after costume ofwonderful beauty and magnificence.
The Labesse line had been a long one, and apparently its ladies hadnever worn out or given away any of their robes. Nor its men either,for there were costumes of knights and courtiers, some of which wouldsurely fit the three young men at present under the Chateau roof.
The girls were bewildered at the maze of costumes, and scarcely knewwhich to select.
Finally Patty chose a bewitching Watteau affair, with a short quiltedpetticoat, and a looped overdress made of the daintiest flowered silkimaginable. The petticoat was of white satin, and the overdress ofpalest blue, with garlands of pink roses. The pointed bodice laced upover a dainty neckerchief, and it was further adorned with borders ofpearls.
Rosamond pounced upon a scarlet and gold brocade, which she declaredwas her ideal of a perfect gown.
Elise found a pink brocatelle, embroidered with silver, and after theyhad selected head-dresses, fans, and many accessories to theircostumes, they scurried away to their own rooms to try them on.
"Aren't we having the time of our life?" exclaimed Rosamond, as shepeacocked about, gazing over her shoulder at her long court train.
"Yes, indeed," said Patty, with a little sigh of content; "I adore thisdressing-up performance, and really, girls, those boys are quite humanunder their French polish."
"They're not so bad," said Elise, "if only they wouldn't bow so often,and so exactly like dancing masters."
"Well, it's all fun," said Patty, "and I'm going to get that awfullynice Francoise to do my hair. She can make it just like an old Frenchpicture. Would you powder it?"
"No," said Elise, after a moment's consideration; "the powder shakesoff all over everything and you can't make it really white, anyway; andbesides, Patty, your hair is too pretty a colour to disguise withpowder."
"Thank you for the compliment, Elise, though a little belated; allright, then, I'll leave my tow-coloured tresses their natural shade,and decorate them with strings of pearls and light blue ostrich tips."
The pearls and feathers and the manipulations of Franchise's artisticfingers transformed Patty's head into the semblance of an old Frenchminiature, and even Patty herself cast an approving glance at thepretty reflection in the gilt-framed mirror.
The girls were wild with enthusiasm over Patty's appearance, thoughtruth to tell, their own effects were scarcely less picturesque.
But Patty's style lent itself peculiarly well to the Watteau dress, andher little feet with their dainty silk stockings and high-heeledpaste-buckled slippers twinkled beneath the quilted petticoat with allthe grace of a real Watteau picture.
When they were ready, they walked down stairs, single file, with greatpomp and dignity, to find awaiting them three polished young courtiers,who might have belonged to the Court of Versailles.
Ma'amselle herself was scarcely disguised, for in her ordinary costumeshe never strayed very far from the styles and materials of her belovedancestors.
But she had on a royal robe, with a great jewelled collar, and stringsof gems depending from her throat. She wore a coronet that had belongedto some of the ladies of her family, and she seemed more than ever achatelaine of a bygone day.
The rooms were decorated with flowers and plants, in honour of theoccasion, and hundreds of wax lights added to the brilliancy of thescene.
An orchestra of stringed instruments played delightful music, and Pattytried to forget entirely that she lived in the twentieth century, andpretended that time had been turned back many, many years.
The guests began to arrive, and though their costumes were of greatvariety, they were nearly all of French effects, and quite in harmonywith the scene. Patty did not seem to care much to converse, or even todance, but wandered around in a blissful state, enjoying thepicturesque scene.
"Probably I shall never see anything like this again," she thought toherself, "and I just want to gaze at it until it is photographed on mymind forever. Oh, won't it be fun to tell Nan and papa about it!"
Just then she saw Henri Labesse approaching her.
"I fear I shall be awkward, Mademoiselle," he said, glancing at his armin a sling, "but if you would forgive, and dance with me just once?"
"Of course I will," said Patty, her kind heart full of sympathy for thepoor fellow. "We can manage quite nicely, I'm sure."
Henri put his good arm round Patty's waist, and lightly laying her handon his shoulder, they glided away. Like most Frenchmen, young Labessewas a perfect dancer, and as Patty was skilled in the art, they dancedbeautifully together and seemed to be in no way impeded by the youngman's broken arm.
"What a dance!" exclaimed Patty, as the music stopped; "I never met anyone who dances as well as you do. If you dance like that with one arm,what would do with two?"
"All the merit of my dancing was due to my partner," said Henri, withone of his best bows, "you are like a fluff of thistledown, or a willo' the wisp. Forgive me, but I had imagined that American ladies dancedlike--like automobiles."
Patty laughed. "If you hadn't already paid me such a prettycompliment," she said, "I should be angry with you for that speech. Butif you wish to know the truth of the matter, go and dance with Eliseand Rosamond, and then come back and tell me what you think of Americandancing."
Henri went away obediently, leaving Patty to decide among the group ofpartners who were begging her for a dance.
Later on Henri returned. "You are right," he said gravely; "theAmerican demoiselles are, indeed, divine dancers; but, may I say it?they are yet not like you. Will you not give me one more turn, and thenI must dance no more to-night; my aunt forbids it, on the absurd scorethat I'm an invalid."
Willingly, Patty danced again with the young man, and as this time itwas a fancy dance, the exquisite grace of the couple soon attracted theattention of the onlookers. One by one the other couples ceaseddancing, until at last Patty and Henri were alone upon the waxed floor,while the others looked admiringly on. Inspired by the moment, Pattyindulged in some fancy steps, which were quickly understood andrepeated by Henri, and depending on a whispered word now and then fordirection, they advanced and retreated, bowed and chasseed in anelaborate and exquisite minuet.
Henri's disabled arm, so far from being an obstacle to his grace,seemed to lend a certain quaint dignity to his movements, and in hiscourt dress he looked like a wounded knight who had returned triumphantfrom the tourney, to dance with his fair lady.
Great applause followed the final figure of their dance, and Henri ledpretty Patty, blushing with the honours heaped upon her, to his aunt.The old Ma'amselle kissed her dear little friend, and the tears in hereyes told Patty how much she had enjoyed t
he scene.
Then came the feast, which was all gaiety and merriment, and finally,by general acclamation, Patty was about to be crowned Queen of the NewYear.
This, however, she would not allow, and taking the crown which wasoffered her, she went over and placed it on the white hair of herhostess, remarking that Ma'amselle was queen, and she herself the firstlady in waiting.
The picture of pretty Patty as she stood by the side of the regal oldlady, who sat, crowned, in her own chair of state, was worthy of apainter, and many who saw it wished it might have been transferred tocanvas.
The festival broke up early, for the old Ma'amselle would not allowlate hours for her children, and as soon as the last guest was gone shesent them scampering to bed, with strict injunctions for them not toreappear until noon the next day.
The next day was ushered in by a dismal, pouring rain, and certainoutdoor pleasures which were planned for the afternoon had to be givenup.
"But I'll tell you what we will do," announced Patty as they gatheredin the great hall after luncheon, "we'll have an afternoon of Americanfun, and we'll show you French boys some tricks you never saw before."
Having asked permission from Ma'amselle, who would not have refused herhad she asked to build a bonfire on the drawing-room carpet, Patty tookher friends to the kitchen.
The fat old chef was amazed, but greatly pleased that the Americandemoiselles should honour his precincts, and he put himself, hisassistants and all his pantries at their service.
"First," said Patty, "we're going to have a candy pull."
The French boys had no notion what a candy pull might be, but they weremore than willing to learn.
A difficulty arose, however, when Patty undertook to explain to oldCesar, the CHEF, that she wanted molasses. She didn't know the Frenchword for molasses, and when she tried SIROP, Cesar affably flew aroundand brought her such a variety of SIROPS that she was overwhelmed. Norwere they of any use to her, for they were merely sweet essences ofvarious fruits, and nothing like good old New Orleans molasses.
Cesar was desolate that he could not please Patty, and berated hisassistants down to the scullion for not knowing what the American younglady wanted.
As soon as he could for laughter, Henri helped matters out byexplaining that what was desired was MELASSE.
"Ah! OUI, OUI, OUI!" exclaimed the delighted Cesar, and he sent thekitchen boys flying for the right thing at last.
Laughing herself at the absurdity of making molasses candy, with theassistance of half a dozen French cooks, Patty proceeded to measure outcupfuls of the treacle and pour it into a skillet.
She was enchanted with the immaculate purity and spotlessness of theFrench kitchen, which even that of a New England housewife cannot rival.
She had set the boys to cracking nuts and picking them out, and whenthe time came, she added butter and a dash of vinegar to her boilingcandy, watched with great interest by Cesar, whose French repertoiredid not include any such strange mess as this.
After the candy was poured out into the pans, and partly cooled, thepulling began.
Patty never liked this part of the performance herself, and she franklysaid so, stating that if the others wanted to pull the taffy she wouldshow them how. Elise declined, but Rosamond pulled away briskly, usingonly the tips of her fingers, and with a practiced touch, until herportion of candy became of a beautiful cream colour and then almostwhite. After watching her a few moments, Cesar caught the trick, andtaking a large panful, pulled and tossed it about with such dexteritythat they all applauded.
Henri, of course, could not join in the sport, but Philippe and Cecilundertook it bravely, though, meeting with difficulties, they soon gaveit up.
"It Is a knack," said Patty, "and though I can do it fairly well, Ihate it because it's so messy. But Cesar is an artist at it, so supposewe let him do the rest."
Cesar willingly consented to this plan, and the young people ran away,leaving him to finish the taffy.
"Next," said Patty, as after much washing of hands they had againassembled in the glass parlour, "I'm going to teach you to play beanbags."
Elise and Rosamond set up a shout of laughter at this, and the boyslooked politely inquisitive.
Calling a footman, Patty, who greatly enjoyed the joke of being waitedupon to such an absurd degree, asked him pleasantly to bring her somebeans. She chose her French carefully, designating what she wanted bythe term haricots.
"Oui, Mademoiselle," said the obsequious footman, hurrying away on hiserrand. He quickly returned, bearing a tin of French beans on a silvertray.
Patty burst into laughter, and so did the rest of them, though onlyElise and Rosamond knew what the joke was about.
"Non, Non!" exclaimed Patty, between her peals of laughter; "beans,beans! oh, wait a minute, I'll tell you, I'll tell you; stop, let methink!"
After a moment's hard thought, she triumphantly exclaimed, "Feve!"
"Oui, oui, oui," exclaimed the footman, comprehendingly, and away hestalked once more. This time he returned with a large silver dish fullof coffee beans, neither roasted nor ground.
These Patty accepted with many thanks. "I don't believe," she said,"that they have real bean-bag beans in this benighted country, andthese will answer the purpose just as well."
Then again summoning her best French to her aid, she asked the footmanto procure for her some pieces of material--cloth or cotton--and sheindicated the size with her finger, also asking him to bring awork-basket. Then with an exhausted air she sat back in her chair andwaited.
"Patty, you do beat the Dutch!" said Elise; "you know he can't findsuch things."
"Can't he?" said Patty complacently; "something tells me that that ablefootman will return with material for bean-bags."
The boys were looking on with great amusement, though only halfunderstanding what it was all about. They understood English, andnearly all of Patty's French, but BEAN-BAGS was an unknown word to them.
True to Patty's prophecy the clever footman returned, still grave andimmovable of countenance, but bearing a well-filled work-basket, and aquantity of pieces of magnificent satin brocades which had been cut insix-inch squares--that being the size indicated by Patty.
Patty took them with a gracious air of satisfaction, and rewarded thefootman with thanks in French and a smile in American.
"Now," she went on calmly, "I shall be pleased to have the assistanceof you two ladies, as I fancy these young men are not any moreaccustomed to sewing than to pulling taffy."
But to her surprise Cecil declared himself an expert needleman, andproved it by stitching up a bean-bag, under Patty's direction, in mostpraiseworthy fashion.
Each of the girls made one, too, and when they were filled with thecoffee beans, and sewed up, Patty was again overcome by merriment atthe regal appearance of their satin brocaded bean-bags.
Then into the long hall they went, but alas! the girls could not bringthemselves to toss bean-bags in an apartment so filled with fragileobjects of value.
In despair Patty again consulted her friend the footman. As soon as heunderstood her dilemma, he assured her he would arrange all; and inless than fifteen minutes he came back to her, almost smiling, andinvited the party to follow him.
They followed to the picture gallery, where the ingenious man hadcarefully placed a number of large, folding Japanese screens in frontof the pictures to protect them from possible harm.
Patty was delighted at this contrivance, and then followed such a gameof bean-bags as had probably never been seen before in all France.
The only drawback was that Henri could not take part in this sport, butas Patty said wisely, "One cannot have everything in France; and, atany rate, he can eat some of our American taffy, which must be cooledby this time."