feels no affection for the bitch, I would rather she
did not hear of the beating.' And in this he was
wise, for if Marie had known she would surely have
been very deeply grieved, though much less for
Mireio than for her husband.
* If you do not wish me to speak of my peril, I suppose
that I must try not to do so,5 frowned his sister, 'though
when one has returned from the jaws of death, one
may well not remember to hold one's tongue.5 And
with this Jouse had perforce to be contented.
But presently Christophe was in his arms and his
heart was rejoicing at his son's firm body, rejoicing
at the healthful vigour of this child whom he had
fathered when nearing fifty, so that just for the moment
he was vastly content, forgetting the ailing and pre-
mature baby.
cHo, Christophe, enfantounet! Ho, here is your
father! That is grand, little fist of iron, pull my beard
— if you pull hard enough you may make it uncurl.
That is splendid, I would have you kick with your
legs, for only by kicking will the small legs grow
stronger. Hou, but they are mighty already, these
legs. And what arms for the son of a carpenter; it is
you who shall carry the heaviest timber! Hou, but
some day you shall carry a tree! Laugh, enfantounet!
See, Germaine, how he laughs. . . And now we must
go, for his mother waits; but first he would say farewell
to his cousin.5
So Madame Roustan fetched her own son — that
dark-skinned, aggressive and hot-tempered baby. And
the cousins grabbed at each other and smiled; then
they suddenly stared at each other very gravely.
*Jan is also a fine little fellow/ said J6us&, wishing
to make up for that turbulent night.
cMais oui,5 sighed his sister, cyet how sad is the child
who having a mother has lost his father!9
cAh, but there is surely time.5 Jouse consoled her.
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