But le tout petit Loup flung up his small head,
clenching his hands in an effort not to wheeze as he
valiantly choked back a fit of coughing: *I refuse to
be a fat Monsieur Roland/ he spluttered; CI refuse
to sit on my behind all my life and wear glasses that
make my eyes look like marbles; I refuse to grow bald
and have rolls of pink flesh at the back of my neck
bulging over my collar; I refuse to scrawl things on a
blackboard with chalk and then rub them off again
with a duster; I refuse to teach fools who do not want
to learn, and who when they have learnt still remain
imbeciles. Moreover I have chosen my future career.
My mind is made up: I shall enter the army. And
kindly do not call me le tout petit Loup. Do you
hear? I say I will not be called. . . .' He sat down
abruptly, clutching his side, cNot le tout petit Loup
... no ... no ... not that . . . not le tout petit
Loup ... I tell you I hate it!5
But in spite of his angry, protesting spirit, Loup
must submit to a physical body, must submit to being
laid flat on the floor by Marie while Christophe rushed
off to get water, must submit to Jouse's solicitous
warning that when one possessed so feeble a heart
one could ill afford to give way to temper.
'Try to be calmer/ entreated Jouse; 'it is very un-
wise to become so excited/
Ai! las, ai! las, le pauvre tout petit Loup — though
when Christophe returned he was already better.
He had still got youth to fight on his side and these
sudden attacks were of short duration: *
'Take your arm away/ he said peevishly as he
gulped down the water. And then to his mother:
'Stop dabbing my forehead; it is nothing at all. I do
wish you would stop and leave me in peace — so
much fuss about nothing at all, it is childish!5
Getting up he made his way out of the room very
slowly, and still slowly he went downstairs, thrusting
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