Little Gervais was still sucking when Zoe, after tidying the room, came
up again with a big bunch of lilac, and announced that Monsieur and
Madame Angelin had called, on their way back from an early walk, to
inquire after Madame.
"Show them up," said Marianne gayly; "I can well receive them."
The Angelins were the young couple who, having installed themselves in a
little house at Janville, ever roamed the lonely paths, absorbed in their
mutual passion. She was delicious--dark, tall, admirably formed, always
joyous and fond of pleasure. He, a handsome fellow, fair and square
shouldered, had the gallant mien of a musketeer with his streaming
moustache. In addition to their ten thousand francs a year, which enabled
them to live as they liked, he earned a little money by painting pretty
fans, flowery with roses and little women deftly postured. And so their
life had hitherto been a game of love, an everlasting billing and cooing.
Towards the close of the previous summer they had become quite intimate
with the Froments, through meeting them well-nigh every day.
"Can we come in? Are we not intruding?" called Angelin, in his sonorous
voice, from the landing.
Pages:
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191