For more than three hundred yards no other trade
was plied: a river of chaplets, medals, and statuettes streamed without
end behind the windows; and in enormous letters on the boards above
appeared the venerated names of Saint Roch, Saint Joseph, Jerusalem, The
Immaculate Virgin, The Sacred Heart of Mary, all the names in Paradise
that were most likely to touch and attract customers.
"Really," said M. de Guersaint, "I think it's the same thing all over the
place. Let us go anywhere." He himself had had enough of it, this
interminable display was quite exhausting him.
"But as you promised to make the purchases at Majeste's," said Marie, who
was not, in the least tired, "the best thing will be to go back."
"That's it; let's return to Majeste's place."
But the rows of shops began again in the Avenue de la Grotte. They
swarmed on both sides; and among them here were jewellers, drapers, and
umbrella-makers, who also dealt in religious articles. There was even a
confectioner who sold boxes of pastilles /a l'eau de Lourdes/, with a
figure of the Virgin on the cover. A photographer's windows were crammed
with views of the Grotto and the Basilica, and portraits of Bishops and
reverend Fathers of all Orders, mixed up with views of famous sites in
the neighbouring mountains.
Pages:
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67