Part 76 (2/2)
”Is the 'bus there, Jacqueline?”
”It's just comin', madame.”
”Let's hurry up and get seats, Monsieur Cherami. Will you take Aristoloche by the hand?”
”With pleasure.”
”My! what a pleasant surprise this will be for Aunt Duponceau! She's very fond of you, you fickle man!”
”She has no ingrate to deal with, in me.”
They entered the omnibus, and Cherami agreed to hold young Aristoloche on his knees, in order to save his mamma six sous. She tried to provide for Narcisse in the servant's lap, but the conductor declared that he must pay, which seemed to cause Jacqueline the keenest satisfaction. At last they started, and in due time arrived at Saint-Mande.
Madame Duponceau's latest purchase was at the entrance to the avenue.
The house was even smaller than that at Pa.s.sy; and there was no garden: it was replaced by a courtyard in which naught could be seen, in any direction, save rabbit-hutches; it was a veritable library of rabbits.
The aunt appeared, shaking her head as always. She uttered a cry of surprise when she saw Cherami, then offered him her cheek, saying:
”Kiss me; I forgive your disappearance at Pa.s.sy.”
The penalty seemed to Cherami a little severe, but he submitted to it; and while he was in training, Madame Capucine offered him her cheek.
”Do the same for me,” she said; ”I forgive you, too.”
”The devil! this dinner comes pretty high!” said Beau Arthur to himself, after kissing both ladies.
”You must come and see what a pretty little place I've got,” said Madame Duponceau; ”what a pity that you always come in winter!”
”I don't see what difference that makes here, as you have no garden.”
”But I have rabbits.”
”Are they finer in summer than in winter?”
”No; but they show themselves more, because they ain't cold.”
”They show themselves quite enough as it is, in my opinion. I should be glad of a little refreshment.”
”And then you must tell us what happened to you at Pa.s.sy that kept you from coming back to dinner with us.”
Cherami allowed himself to be taken all over the house; he was not even spared an inspection of the attic. He found everything charming, admirable, even the lean-to where the servant slept. At last, when the inspection was at an end, they begged him to tell them his adventures in the Bois de Boulogne. He told the whole story, taking care not to mention names; and when he had finished, Madame Duponceau cried:
”That's what it is to fight a duel with pistols!”
”Corbleu de mordieu!” thought Cherami; ”what an idiot I am to take the trouble to tell anything to such mummies! This will teach me a lesson; I ought to have told them about Blue Beard.”
The dinner hour arrived, but Monsieur Capucine did not. They waited another half-hour; but the two boys complained so loudly of hunger, that it was decided to adjourn to the table.
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