a quaint history & purposeful?

[Eway]

Dear Teachers,

I read these from True Pleasures by Lucinda Holdforth:

1.
"My bed is dressed in lemon-scented white linen, big fluffy pillows for reading, space in the cupboard for my clothes and books, even flowers and a quaint history of the Marais district on my bedside table."

What does "a quaint history" here mean? Is it a history book on the narrator's bedside table?

2.
"I lie on the white bed as the muted Parisian light flickers through the window and the progressively more purposeful street noises rise up."

What does "purposeful" mean in this context?

[Snowcake]

Originally Posted by Eway

Dear Teachers,

I read these from True Pleasures by Lucinda Holdforth:

1.
"My bed is dressed in lemon-scented white linen, big fluffy pillows for reading, space in the cupboard for my clothes and books, even flowers and a quaint history of the Marais district on my bedside table."

What does "a quaint history" here mean? Is it a history book on the narrator's bedside table?

Yes, you are right with your suggestion.

2.
"I lie on the white bed as the muted Parisian light flickers through the window and the progressively more purposeful street noises rise up."

What does "purposeful" mean in this context?

I think it alludes to the car drivers and other people, who are in the street. The day is beginning, people are going to work by car or by public transport. So the noise rises up, and/because people are on their way to their working places (--> purposeful)

[Anglika]

Originally Posted by Eway

What does "a quaint history" here mean? Is it a history book on the narrator's bedside table?

#1 "quaint" means an idiosyncratic and rather simplistic history.

[susiedqq]

1.
"My bed is dressed in lemon-scented white linen, big fluffy pillows for reading, space in the cupboard for my clothes and books, even flowers and a quaint (pleasant, old-fashioned) history (book) of the Marais district on my bedside table."

2.
"I lie on the white bed as the muted Parisian light flickers through the window and the progressively more purposeful street noises rise up." (the street noises got louder as there was more and more traffic)