Villa for Sale Summary Class 9 English Chapter 13

Summary

Juliette wishes to sell her villa but is really disappointed that no prospective customers walked that way. The sign ‘For Sale’ has been there since a month but the villa appeared not to interest anyone. Juliette confesses to her maid that she was so fed up that she would do anything to get the wretched place off her hands. She starts doubting whether it was sensible to ask for two hundred thousand francs. The villa was located near French Hollywood and was in reasonable condition but no one seemed interested to buy it. Meanwhile, the maid requests Juliette to give her an off since she had been offered the role of a maid in a movie. Juliette is surprised to discover that the maid was going to earn a hundred francs just for a day’s work. The maid surprises Juliette by suggesting that even she could act as a cook and earn quite a bit of money. Juliette is amazed to know that the entire locality was busy taking up one role or the other in movies.

As Juliette retires for relaxation, two customers, Jeanne and Gaston are ushered in by the maid. They are a young couple. From their conversation, it is evident that the wife Jeanne is more eager to buy the villa. She wants to buy it for her parents and her sister’s family. Gaston is very business-minded, very shrewd and he is least interested in making any investment for his wife’s family. Meanwhile, Juliette makes an appearance. She pretends to be very proud of her villa and single-handedly announces that the villa perfectly suited the personality of the customers. She flatters the young couple, calls them ‘exceptional’ that the villa was according to their taste. Juliette hikes up the price and then brings it down to two hundred thousand francs and pretends to do a favour to the couple. Gaston is totally irritated by now and makes it very clear that he has no intention of purchasing the villa. As they are leaving, Jeanne expresses a desire to see the upper floor. Both Juliette and Jeanne go upstairs.

Gaston is busy cribbing when the maid ushers in another customer, Mrs. Al Smith. Mrs. Al Smith mistakes Gaston to be the owner of the villa and expresses her desire to buy the villa. Initially, Gaston just wiles away the conversation but his business-instincts are aroused when he discovers that Mrs. Al Smith is really interested in buying the villa. Mrs. Al Smith was an actress. She wanted to buy this villa to make a new house near Hollywood. She has loads of money but has no time to inspect the house or go in details. Gaston quotes three hundred thousand and to his utmost surprise, the lady hands him the cheque and makes a quick departure. In the meantime, Jeanne and Juliette come back. Jeanne is astounded to discover that within a short while Gaston has changed his mind. He gives a cheque of two hundred thousand to Juliette and walks out, smiling to himself, with his wife. The transaction had been quite worthwhile, chuckled Gaston to himself.