"Oh, dear, wasn't it absurd!" said Mme. Mauperin, when she had finished her bit of gossip, laughing heartily as old ladies do over a spicy tale. "How very lively you all are this evening!" exclaimed Denoisel, chilled by all this gaiety. "Yes, we are as gay as Pinchon," said Renee, "that's how we all feel! And we shall be like this to-morrow, and the day after, and always; shall we not, papa?" and running across to her father she sat down on his knees like a child. "My darling!" said M. Mauperin to his daughter. "Well, I never! Just look, my dear, do you remember? This was her knee when she was a little girl." "Yes," said Mme. Mauperin, "and Henri had the other one." "Yes, I can see them now," continued M. Mauperin; "Henri was the girl and you were the boy, Renee. Just to fancy that all that was fifteen years ago. It used to amuse you finely when I let you put your little hands on the scars that my wounds had left. What rascals of children they were! How they laughed!" Then turning to his wife he added, "What work you had with them, my dear. It doesn't matter though, Denoisel; it's a good thing to have a family. Instead of only having one heart, it's as though you have several--upon my word it is!" "Ah, Denoisel, now that you are here, we shall not let you go again," said Renee. "Your room has been waiting for you long enough." "I'm so sorry, Renee, but really I have some business to attend to this evening in Paris; I have, really." "Oh, business! You? How important you must feel, to be sure!" "Do stay, Denoisel," said M. Mauperin. "My wife has a whole collection of stories for you like the one she has just told you." "Oh yes, do, will you?" pleaded Renee. "We'll have such fun; you'll see. I won't touch the piano at all, and I won't put too much vinegar in the salad. We'll make puns on everything. Come now, Denoisel." "I accept your invitation for next week." "Horrid thing!" and Renee turned her back on him. "And Dardouillet," said Denoisel; "isn't he coming this evening?" "Oh, he'll come later on," said Mauperin. "By-the-bye, it's just possible he won't come, though. He's very busy--in the very thick of marking out his land. I fancy he's just busy transporting his mountain into his lake and his lake on to the top of his mountain." "Well, but what about this evening?" "Oh, this evening--no one knows," said Renee. "He's full of mysteries, M. Dardouillet. But how queer you look to-day, Denoisel!" "I do?" "Yes, you; you don't seem at all frolicsome; there's no sparkle about you. What's been ruffling you?" "Denoisel, there's something the matter," said Mme. Mauperin. "Nothing whatever, madame," answered Denoisel. "What could be the matter with me? I'm not low-spirited in the least. I'm simply tired; I've had to rush about so much this last week for Henri. He would have my opinion about everything in connection with his furnishing."