Page 59 - les-miserables

per. There were things beneath. My drawing-room, which
contains no furniture, and which we use for spreading out
the linen after washing, is fifteen feet in height, eighteen
square, with a ceiling which was formerly painted and gild-
ed, and with beams, as in yours. This was covered with a
cloth while this was the hospital. And the woodwork was
of the era of our grandmothers. But my room is the one you
ought to see. Madam Magloire has discovered, under at
least ten thicknesses of paper pasted on top, some paintings,
which without being good are very tolerable. The subject is
Telemachus being knighted by Minerva in some gardens,
the name of which escapes me. In short, where the Roman
ladies repaired on one single night. What shall I say to you?
I have Romans, and Roman ladies [here occurs an illegible
word], and the whole train. Madam Magloire has cleaned
it all off; this summer she is going to have some small inju-
ries repaired, and the whole revarnished, and my chamber
will be a regular museum. She has also found in a corner
of the attic two wooden pier-tables of ancient fashion. They
asked us two crowns of six francs each to regild them, but it
is much better to give the money to the poor; and they are
very ugly besides, and I should much prefer a round table
of mahogany.
I am always very happy. My brother is so good. He gives
all he has to the poor and sick. We are very much cramped.
The country is trying in the winter, and we really must do
something for those who are in need. We are almost com-
fortably lighted and warmed. You see that these are great
treats.

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