'Twas a delightful fete, full of infinite hope, that
wedding of Blaise and Charlotte; he a strong young fellow of nineteen,
she an adorable girl of eighteen summers, each loving the other with a
love of nosegay freshness that had budded, even in childhood's hour,
along the flowery paths of Chantebled. The eight other children were all
there: first the big brothers, Denis, Ambroise, and Gervais, who were now
finishing their studies; next Rose, the eldest girl, now fourteen, who
promised to become a woman of healthy beauty and happy gayety of
disposition; then Claire, who was still a child, and Gregoire, who was
only just going to college; without counting the very little ones, Louise
and Madeleine.
Folks came out of curiosity from the surrounding villages to see the gay
troop conduct their big brother to the municipal offices. It was a
marvellous cortege, flowery like springtide, full of felicity, which
moved every heart. Often, moreover, on ordinary holidays, when for the
sake of an outing the family repaired in a band to some village market,
there was such a gallop in traps, on horseback, and on bicycles, while
the girls' hair streamed in the wind and loud laughter rang out from one
and all, that people would stop to watch the charming cavalcade.
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