“You are going to set to work at these details, Paul, and I will correct your drawings. Furnished with these designs, you will then go to Chateauroux and show them to the person who undertakes the work, and he will fix his prices. You will supplement the drawings by explanations, keeping clearly in mind what I have told you, and bring back his estimate. I will also give you an introduction to an engineering friend of mine at Chateauroux who will receive you as a relation, and who will be able to give you any further information you require.”
Madame de Gandelau at first objected to Paul’s journey; but being assured that Eugène’s friend would be at the station to receive the young architect, and that he would be entertained by a family who would be glad to receive him, his mother was satisfied. Besides, his absence would be for three or four days only, and Chateauroux is but fifty miles from M. de Gandelau’s residence.
CHAPTER XXV.
WHAT PAUL LEARNT AT CHATEAUROUX.
Paul now knew enough to feel that the commission with which he was charged was one of considerable importance. The sole responsibility of it made him a little anxious. It would have been easy enough to write to the joiner to come to the château; but Eugène had asked M. de Gandelau to send Paul to see him, in order to put his clerk of the works to the test, and to know how he would manage the business. Eugène had given him ample instructions, and taken care to have them repeated several times; and Paul had noted down the important points. He was furnished with plans to show the number of openings, the hanging of the doors, the areas of the floors, the extent of the wainscoting, the dado-moulding, the skirting, &c.
On arriving at Chateauroux about ten o’clock in the morning, Paul found the engineer, M. Victorien, his cousin’s friend, waiting for him at the station as had been arranged. M. Victorien was still young, though his close-cut hair was growing grey. A sun-burnt complexion, a piercing eye, and aquiline nose, gave to his physiognomy a certain martial air which attracted our young architect at a glance. A letter from Eugène had informed him of the circumstances that had occasioned Paul’s giving his attention to building during the last six months. M. Victorien had some acquaintance with M. de Gandelau, and felt a particular esteem for his character. Such an introduction was more than enough to induce him to receive the traveller as a young brother. Madame Victorien, a short, buxom brunette, the very antithesis of her husband, who was tall and thin,—could find nothing good enough for her guest. At breakfast, Paul had to reply to all the questions that were addressed to him:—How had the recent troubles been borne by the family at the château? What was the new house like? How far had it advanced? How many workmen did they employ? How was the work done? Paul gave the best answers he could think of, and even ventured to draw some sketches to explain to his hosts the situation of the new house and its present stage of advancement.
“Well,” said M. Victorien, “I see that you have profited by the lessons you have had from your cousin, who is more ready at making an explanatory sketch than any man I know.”
This compliment encouraged Paul, who related the steps of his architectural education up to this time.
“We shall have the whole of to-morrow to visit your joiner, so if you like you shall accompany me to see some locks which I am making about six miles off. That will perhaps interest you.”
Paul eagerly accepted the invitation, although Madame Victorien protested against it, asserting that her young guest must be fatigued, and ought to be allowed to rest; that he had risen very early that morning, and so on.
“What,” said M. Victorien, “at his age and in excellent health, fatigued by sitting two hours in a railway carriage! Get us a good dinner by the time we return—about seven o’clock—and you shall see if our friend doesn’t do justice to it. Besides, has he not told us that he is up at five o’clock every morning and is running about all day? Come, let us set out.”