Then Claire, his wife, as soon as she had kissed Marianne, apologized for
having called so early.
"We only learnt last night, my dear," said she, "that you had arrived the
day before. We didn't expect you for another eight or ten days. And so,
as we passed the house just now, we couldn't resist calling. You will
forgive us, won't you?" Then, never waiting for an answer, she added with
the petulant vivacity of a tom-tit whom the open air had intoxicated:
"Oh! so there is the new little gentleman--a boy, am I not right? And
your health is good? But really I need not ask it. _Mon Dieu_, what a
pretty little fellow he is! Look at him, Robert; how pretty he is! A real
little doll! Isn't he funny now, isn't he funny! He is quite amusing."
Her husband, observing her gayety, drew near and began to admire the
child by way of following her example. "Ah yes, he is really a pretty
baby. But I have seen so many frightful ones--thin, puny, bluish little
things, looking like little plucked chickens. When they are white and
plump they are quite nice."
Mathieu began to laugh, and twitted the Angelins on having no child of
their own. But on this point they held very decided opinions.
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