Chapter 20 〇Three wedding
The masher immediately removed the wooden bolt that closed the door from the inside: At that time, most people in our village only knew how to use this kind of lock.The bridegroom's gang broke into the bride's house, but not without a fight; for the boys who were in the house, and even the old hempmen and the aunts and aunts, were responsible for guarding the hearth.The person holding the iron fork, supported by the person on his side, is going to put the grilled poultry into the hearth.It was a real fight, and even though no one was allowed to hit, there was no anger in the fight.But there was jostling and huddling, and there was so much self-respect at work in this trial of strength that the consequences could be serious, but not shown in the laughter and singing.The poor old Mama man struggled like a lion, and was pressed against the wall by the crowd, and he couldn't even breathe.More than one fighter who was pushed down was trampled on, and more than one hand grabbed the iron fork, and his skin was pierced and bleeding.Such things are dangerous, and the recent incidents have been quite serious. The peasants in our village have decided to abolish the ceremony of giving gifts.I believe it was the last time I saw it at Françoise Meyer's wedding, and that fight was a fake.
[Note] Françoise Meyer was George Sand's maid, whom she married in 1827.
At Germain's wedding, this struggle was still quite fierce.The one who wanted to occupy Madam Guillette's hearth, and the other who wanted to defend it, considered it a matter of honor.The big iron fork twisted like a screw under the powerful wrists competing with each other.Someone fired a shot and set fire to a little bundle of hemp tied into a doll's basket in a wicker basket hanging from the roof.This accident diverted attention. Just as some people were busy putting out the fire, fearing that it would cause a fire, the gravedigger who had climbed up the attic without being noticed climbed down the chimney and grabbed the iron fork. At this moment, The cowherd is guarding it by the hearth, holding it over his head, so that no one can take it.Before the attack began, the elderly women had just carefully extinguished the fire, for fear that someone would fall in and be burned while fighting over the fire.The witty gravedigger got the cowherd's understanding, easily grabbed the spit, and threw it onto the barbecue spit.You're done!Never allow it to be touched again.He jumped into the middle of the room, and set fire to the rest of the hay wrapped on the spit, which he counted as roasting the goose, which had been torn into pieces and thrown all over the floor.
So the whole room was full of laughter, vying to boast.Each one lets others see his beatings, because often it is the hand of a friend, and there are no complaints and quarrels.The almost squashed hempman rubbed his waist and said he didn't care a bit, but he didn't think his fellow gravedigger's tricks were all that bad, and the stove wouldn't be like that if he wasn't squashed easily captured.The sisters-in-law cleaned the ground and the order returned to normal.The table was covered with jugs of new wine.After everyone drank a toast and breathed a sigh of relief, the groom was brought into the house, holding a small wooden stick, and had to accept a new test.
During the fight, the bride and her three companions were hidden by her mother, godmother, and aunt, and the four girls were seated on a bench in a cold corner of the room, covered with a large white sheet. .These three female companions were chosen to be of the same height as Mary, with hats of the same height, and covered with sheets from head to toe, so that it was difficult to tell which was which.
The groom is only allowed to use the wooden stick to point out the one he guesses is his woman.Everyone gave him time to observe, but he could only see with his eyes. A married woman stood next to him, strictly monitoring, and no cheating was allowed.If he gets it wrong, he can't dance with the bride for one night, but only with the one he got wrong.
Germain, faced with several phantoms wrapped in the same shroud, was terribly afraid of making mistakes; in fact, despite the utmost care, many people made mistakes.His heart was beating wildly.Little Mary longed to breathe hard and shake the sheet, but her cunning companion did the same, shaking the sheet with her fingers, and there were as many unfathomable signs as there were girls under the covering.The square hat supports the drapery evenly, and it is difficult to make out the outline of the forehead outlined by the folds.
Germain hesitated for ten minutes, closed his eyes, entrusted his soul to God, and stretched out the stick casually.He touched little Mary's forehead, and she threw the sheet away, shouting success.So he was allowed to kiss her, and he took her into the middle of the room in his strong arms, and with her he opened the dance, which lasted until two o'clock in the morning.
Then we parted ways and met again at eight o'clock.Since some young people are from the neighboring village, there are not enough beds for all the people, so the female guest of this village invites two or three young female companions to sleep on her bed, while the young men lie in disorder on the haystacks in the barn of the farm. .You can imagine they didn't get much sleep there, for they were preoccupied with fighting and joking and telling incredible stories.At a wedding, if necessary, she can stay up for three nights with no regrets.
Before the scheduled departure time, everyone had a milk soup with a lot of pepper.It is used as an appetizer, because the wedding dishes are rich.Then everybody assembled in the farm yard, our parish was cancelled, and we had to walk half a mile to give our wedding blessing.It was sunny, but the roads were rough, and everyone had a horse, and the man had a girl or old woman on his back.Germain got on Xiaoqing and set off; Xiaoqing was washed and cleaned, newly shoed, tied with ribbons, his front hooves were kicking, and his nostrils were breathing like fire.He and his brother-in-law Jacques went to the hut to find the bride; Jacques rode on an old green horse, with Madam Guillet behind him.Germain triumphantly took his little beloved wife back to the yard of the farm.
Afterwards, the joyous horse team set off on the road, surrounded by children on foot. They fired guns while running, which made the horses jump up in fright.Madame Maurice sat in the cart with Germain's three children and the fiddler.They set off ahead with music.Little Pierre was so handsome that the old grandmother was very proud.The active child couldn't stay by her side, the car stopped for a while on the way, and was about to turn into a difficult road. At this time, he took the opportunity to slip away and ran to beg his father to let him ride Xiaoqing and sit in front of his father.
How can that work!Germain replied that it would make people laugh at us, absolutely not.
I don't mind gossiping in St. Chatier, said little Marie, take him, Germain, please: I'm more proud of him than of my wedding dress.
Germain gave in, and the beautiful three-group urged Xiaoqing to run triumphantly and join the team.
In fact, although the people in St. Chatier's church are very fond of mocking and teasing people who come to them from the neighboring parishes, they don't think at all when they see such a handsome bridegroom, such a beautiful bride, and a child who would make the queen envious. ridiculed.Little Pierre wore a suit of light blue wool, and a small red waistcoat, so short that it did not reach much below the chin.The village tailor had made the armpits of the vest so tight that his little arms could not close together.How proud he is!He wore a round hat trimmed with black and gold fringes, and a peacock feather rose proudly from a tuft of turkey feathers.A bouquet larger than his head covered his shoulders, and ribbons flowed down to his feet.The Maman is also a local barber and wigmaker, and a saucer is placed on his head, and the outer hair is cut off and cut into a dome, which is a surefire way to ensure an even cut.It is needless to say that the poor boy would not be so poetic, with his hair blowing in the wind, and in sheepskins, like St. John the Baptist, so attired; A little grown up.His handsomeness surpassed everything, indeed, what could not be surpassed by the incomparable beauty of a child?
His little sister Solange wore for the first time a millinery hat instead of the calico beanie which little girls usually wear until they are two or three years old.What a hat!Taller and wider than the poor doll's whole body.how pretty she looked!She didn't dare to turn her head, and she stood upright, thinking that people would regard her as a bride.
As for little Sylvain, still in his burqa, fast asleep on his grandmother's lap, he did not yet know a thing about a wedding.
Germain looked lovingly at his children, and when he reached the town hall he said to his bride:
Well, Marie, I am happier here today than I was when I brought you back to the village from the Chanteloube woods, when I thought you would never love me; , but then I thought, we will never put this child on our knees and ride together on this cute little green horse again.Oh, how I love you, how I love these poor little ones, how happy I am, because you love me, you love the children, my parents-in-law love you, and how I love your mother, my friends With all the people today, I wish I had three or four hearts to hold so much love.Indeed, how few friendships and pleasures are contained in one heart!I'm so bloated that my stomach hurts.
There was a crowd of people at the gate of the town hall and the church, gathered around to see the beautiful bride.Why not mention her outfit?How well her dress fit her!Her hat was of light muslin, richly embroidered, with strips of lace hanging down.At that time, peasant women would not let their hair be exposed. Their beautiful long hair was hidden under their hats, tied with white ribbons and coiled on their heads. Today, it is still a common practice to show your face in front of men without wearing a hat. Disgraceful and disgraceful behaviour.But now they can show a narrow headband on their foreheads, which makes them look better.But I am nostalgic for the antique hats of those days; those white laces against the skin seem to me extraordinarily dignified, and when a face is beautifully dressed in this way, the beauty has indescribable charm and grace.
Little Mary still wears this kind of hat, her forehead is fair and pure, and she is not afraid that the white cloth will make her look gray.Although she didn't close her eyes all night, the morning air, especially the dark joy of a heart as clear as the sky, and the fire-like enthusiasm in her heart suppressed by a girl's shyness, made her cheeks glow like an April morning. The peach blossoms in the sun are so soft and lovely.
Her white shawl was chastely folded over her breast, revealing only the graceful lines of her neck, as round as a turtledove.Her amyrtle-green muslin dress framed her slender figure, which looked perfect but needed to grow, for she was not yet seventeen.She was wearing a dark purple silk apron, and the apron, which the women of our village should never have done away with, made the breasts look elegant and modest.Today, women wrap their shawls in a haughty way, but their attire no longer has the beauty of classical chastity, like Holbein's virgins.They are more voluptuous and charming now.The good-looking attire of the old days was a bit serious and rigid, but it made their rare smiles look deeper and more perfect.
When it came time to present the gift, Germain placed thirteen silver pieces in the hands of the bride, according to the custom.He put a silver ring on her, the same kind of ring that had remained unchanged through the centuries, only to be replaced by a gold wedding ring.As they came out of the church, Mary whispered to him:
Is this really the ring I was hoping for?Is it the ring I asked you for, Germain?
Yes, he answered, it is the same ring that my Catherine wore on her finger when she died.I've had this same ring on both of my weddings.
Thank you, Germain, said the young wife in a serious and deep tone, I will wear it until I die, and if I die before you, keep it for your little Solange's wedding.