Colibris, who looked like nothing in the
world less than he looked like a humming-bird, "so many questions, my
excellent Thildette! Yes, I will breakfast--a cheese omelet, my dear,
and a glass of cider--and Marie is as well as one could expect. Ah,
these children, these children! It is a boy, of course. A boy with fists
as big as his head."
Madame Chalumeau had risen, and had led her guest through the
sitting-room into her immaculate kitchen.
"And you have seen papa and maman?" she asked.
"Yes, I come from there. Papa is much pleased that it is a boy. His
eleventh great-grandson! One would think," continued the good man
garrulously, "that it was his own son. Maman is looking much better,
_pas_?"
"Mama is quite wonderful. But amazing! And the preparations are
something splendid. I suppose this new boy will contribute his share to
the wedding ring for maman?"
"But certainly. It is lucky there are no more of us men to contribute,
or we should have had to have the ring studded with diamonds. A fine
sight it will be, Bathilde. Think of papa and mama married at St.
Gervais by the same cure that married them fifty years ago! And twenty
grandchildren, to say nothing of their seven children, and counting this
boy of my Marie's, sixteen great-grandchildren.
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