Part 67 (2/2)

”De facon que de loin sur le pauvre animal Le perdreau, sans mentir, semblait etre a cheval, Et ft reste longtemps dans la meme posture, Si mon chien n'avait pris cavalier et monture.

Eh donc, que dites-vous?”

[2] That is, the Gascon accent.

During this declamation, Giraud stamped on the floor and pretended to writhe with pleasure on his chair; Madame Giraud was occupied solely in keeping her children quiet, and Monsieur Mouille did not stir.

”Ah! bravo! bravo!” cried Giraud. ”I say, wife, you never heard such acting as that, did you?--Monsieur Mouille, you should consider yourself very fortunate to have come to Saint-Mande with us! very fortunate in every respect, indeed, for there is everything here that can seduce and fascinate!--Oh! Monsieur Roquencourt, something else--just a fragment or two.”

”I wonder if this sort of thing is going to last long,” Caroline whispered to me. I smiled but said nothing. Monsieur Roquencourt did not wait to be asked twice. He stepped forward again to the centre of the salon:

”Here is a pa.s.sage from the scene in which he is asked about his son; and it is his son himself who questions him, unrecognized by him.”

”Ah, yes! I see.--Wife, somebody asks him about his son. Attention, Monsieur Mouille! And it is his son himself. Do you understand?”

”I don't understand at all,” replied the young man.

”Yes, you do; yes, you do.--Hus.h.!.+ be quiet, children!”

”.... Il sert contre le Russe; Mais il sert tout de bon. Ah! le feu roi de Prusse, Savait l'apprecier; et le grand Frederic, En fait d'opinion, valait tout un public.

Il admirait mon fils--J'en ai----”

Monsieur Roquencourt was interrupted in his declamation by the cook, who rushed into the room, exclaiming:

”Mon Dieu! what on earth is this dog that's just come here, mademoiselle? He came into my kitchen and jumped at everything there is there; he ate at one gulp the remains of the chicken that was on the table, and he's just carried off the leg of mutton that was for your dinner.”

”Oh! it's because he's thirsty!” cried Giraud; ”give him some water; he was very hot, give him some water, if you please, and then he will fawn all over you.”

”Monsieur,” said Caroline, rising and walking forward, with a very decided air, toward Giraud, ”I am very sorry, but you really must give your dog water somewhere else; my uncle should remember that we have to go out this morning, we have very little time, and we cannot have the pleasure of detaining you any longer.”

As she said this, Caroline gave her uncle a glance which he understood very clearly, and he faltered:

”Yes--yes, I believe that we have to go out.”

Giraud seemed thunderstruck; he looked at his wife, who looked at Monsieur Mouille, who looked at his trousers to see if they were creased.

However, the family rose; the dandified young man followed their example, and Giraud bowed low, saying:

”As you have an engagement, of course we do not desire to detain you; another time I trust that we shall be more fortunate, and that we may form a connection of which the fortunate result--Monsieur Mouille, present your respects to mademoiselle. Bow, children.--Monsieur Roquencourt, we shall not forget your great amiability.--Azor! here, Azor! Azor! Oh! he will certainly come.--Au revoir, my dear Blemont.”

The family backed out of the room, bowing, and Giraud whispered in my ear:

”Has she a previous attachment? If this young man doesn't suit her, I have others to offer. Write me what she has said to you.”

They left the salon at last, and they succeeded in finding Azor, who rushed out of the house with a mutton bone in his teeth.

When the visitors had gone, Caroline said to the maid and the gardener:

<script>