Wednesday,
April 8th, 1992.
For
my birthday, Maribé bought me an adorable little trouser
suit. Even Jean Gérard, we had invited at home for the occasion,
found it "very sweet" ! It’s pale blue.
The jacket is very waisted with wide lapel and trousers, pinched
to the waist, tighten to the knees to be flared in the bottom.
Grimaud, for the first time, serves at table in the presence of
a third party. We felt him annoyed but nobody paid any attention
to it. It’s only when Maribé asked him to change one
of the three Jean-Gérard's glasses, whom the neatness left
something to be desired, that he flew off the handle and left the
table, hurt. Maribé raised at once in her turn and followed
him in the kitchen.
We
then heard some shouts, followed by a sharp banging. Then Maribé,
smiling, joined us and apologized for these " small domestic
problems ", very unusual, you can believe it, Jean-Gérard.
Some minutes later, Grimaud returned in his turn, with a little
more red in one cheek than the other one and, in his hand, the appropriate
glass for our guest. He sat down again and did not pronounce any
more a word, even while changing place settings and while serving
the ice.
We
drank the champagne without him, in the lounge and J.G., as a friend,
asked us to call him, eventually left while congratulating us on
our warm reception and the excellent meal which we had offered him.
I then joined Grimaud who washed dishes in the kitchen and, in my
turn, whacked him in a memorable way which made him hands escape
the plate he was washing. I explained to him that, although my employee,
as him, J.G. was a professional relation and that, someone, like
him, was only tolerated under this roof, and did not have to put
in danger our company by emotional and Irresponsible behavior.
He stammered vaguely excuses, putting forward that he
was all the same still at home. And he received his third slap of
the evening...
I
then reminded him that he had signed, the last 4th February, to
protect himself from a Real-estate seizure in the very likely time,
a donation of all his household effects and buildings for the benefit
of Madam Marie-Beatrice Crozant, still spouse Grimaud today, but
getting divorce.
e seemed to go flabbergasted. Then, I drove the point
home :
— Do you think Maribé wants to remain the wife of a
servant paid by the one with whom she lives ?
He threw me a terrified glance and completely disarmed and then,
with a sadistic enjoyment of which I didn't think I was capable,
I saw tears pearling to his eyes and running down slowly on his
cheeks, still red because of my slaps.