So they girded their loins in readiness
for a hard battle.
"Suppose we begin by going to see mamma," Denis suggested. "We should see
and embrace her, and that would give us some courage."
Ambroise deemed the idea an excellent one. "Yes, let us go by all means,
particularly as mamma has always been a good counsellor. She must have
some idea."
They climbed to the first floor of the house, to the spacious room where
Marianne spent her days on a couch beside the window. And to their
stupefaction they found her seated on that couch with Gregoire standing
by her and holding both her hands, while on the other side were Gervais
and Claire, laughing softly.
"Why! what is this?" exclaimed Ambroise in amazement. "The work is done!"
"And we who despaired of being able to accomplish it!" declared Denis,
with a gesture of bewilderment.
Mathieu was equally stupefied and delighted, and on noticing the surprise
occasioned by the arrival of the two big brothers from Paris, he
proceeded to explain the position.
"I went to Paris this morning to fetch them," he said, "and I've brought
them here to reconcile us all!"
A joyous peal of laughter resounded.
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