“I beg pardon, monsieur, I must blow my nose first. Well, I was called to help Turlurette; and as I was much more anxious about madame, I asked: “‘First tell me if we are delivered.’ “‘Yes,’ the doctor replied. “‘Well then, what have we?’ “‘Look, you idiot.’ “As he spoke, the doctor put a little bundle in my arms. Just imagine, monsieur, that at first I thought it was a cheese. It was round and it had a funny smell; but on looking at it closely, I found it was a little boy, just out of his shell.” “What does this mean, Jasmin? What! it was my son that you mistook for a cheese?” “Bless my soul! when one has never seen a new-born child before, monsieur,--and it was the first one that I ever saw.” “Take my son for a cheese! You are a stupid lout, and you shall have no present!” “O monsieur le marquis! it isn’t that I regret the money, but I didn’t think that I had deserved your anger; especially, as on looking at the little boy that I had in my arms, I saw with delight that he has all our features--he is the living image of us!” “What! the living image of _us_!--Have you been drinking, Jasmin?” “Pardon me, monsieur le marquis, but it is my affection that carries me away! When I say we, my dear master knows very well that I mean him! In fact, it is your noble face, monsieur, your fine aquiline nose, your pretty little chin; and he will have your fine teeth, which you no longer have. I would bet that he will have them.” The old marquis could not help smiling, and he replied in a milder tone: “The dear child!--Well, I promised you a present, and you shall have it. I know that you are a faithful servant, my poor Jasmin, but you should be careful what you say when you are speaking of your master’s son.” “The little fellow is a real Love, monsieur. Ah! if I could have suckled him, how happy I would have been!” “I feel strong enough to go to see my wife and my son now. Come, Jasmin, escort me.” “Yes, monsieur, let us go to see our child.” The old marquis, overjoyed to be born again at seventy, rose, took his valet’s arm, and tried to run to his wife’s apartment; but as both master and servant were heavy of foot, their progress was confined to a rather swift walk, which did not, however, prevent them from being out of breath when they reached the marchioness’s room. Monsieur hastened forward to embrace madame, shedding tears of joy; and in his emotion, he fell upon her bed, from which they had all the difficulty in the world to raise him, because happiness changed his legs and arms to cotton. When they had succeeded in placing Monsieur de Grandvilain in a chair, he asked for a glass of madeira in order to restore his strength and put him in a condition to embrace his son. Jasmin went again to fetch the madeira; he filled a glass for his master, and one for himself also, to drink which he retired behind a long window curtain, finding that he too needed to replenish his strength.