CHAPTER xvm

E next morning the Benedit household rose at
JL cock-crow, for Marie wished to prepare dejeuner
and tidy the rooms before dressing for Mass. It was
obvious, of course, that upon such a day there must be
neither undue haste nor confusion. Moreover,
Madame Roustan had expressed a desire that the two
families should start out together; she and Jan would
come up to her brother's house and then they could
all walk down to the church, and Marie did not choose
that her sister-in-law should find their home other
than in good order.
'What a woman,3 grumbled Jouse as he dragged
some old trousers over his night-shirt, Tor ever inter-
fering! One would think that living as near the church
as she does, we might have been spared this procession,
but no. However, it is all very clear, she wishes to show
off her marvellous Jan in his marvellous clothes that
have come from Paris — "Madame la Comtesse de
Berac," sacre Nom! Are we all to parade the streets
like a circus?3
But Marie looked shocked: 'Let us try to be calm.'
'It is that I wish to be calm,3 frowned Jouse.
Anfos was hanging about on the landing; he was
grasping a pair of very old scissors: 'I would
like . . .* he stammered, and pointed to his beard.
Jouse nodded: 'Come along then, come into the
workshop. But mind, you must sit very still while I
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