lder ones
gained confidence and commenced the attack. And when the mothers
entered into the fray, and cut up the large cakes, helping those in
their vicinity, the feast speedily became very animated and noisy. The
exquisite symmetry of the table was destroyed as though by a tempest.
The two Berthier girls, Blanche and Sophie, laughed at the sight of
their plates, which had been filled with something of everything--jam,
custard, cake, and fruit. The five young ladies of the Levasseur
family took sole possession of a corner laden with dainties, while
Valentine, proud of her fourteen years, acted the lady's part, and
looked after the comfort of her little neighbors. Lucien, however,
impatient to display his politeness, uncorked a bottle of champagne,
but in so clumsy a way that the whole contents spurted over his cherry
silk breeches. There was quite a to-do about it.

"Kindly leave the bottles alone! I am to uncork the champagne,"
shouted Pauline.

She bustled about in an extraordinary fashion, purely for her own
amusement. On the entry of a servant with the chocolate pot, she
seized it and filled the cups with the greatest glee, as active in the
performance as any restaurant waiter. Next she took round some ices
and glasses of syrup and water, set them down for a moment to stuff a
little baby-girl who had been overlooked, and then went off again,
asking every one questions.

"What is it you wish, my pet? Eh? A cake? Yes, my darling, wait a
moment; I am going to pass you the oranges. Now eat away, you little
stupids, you shall play afterwards."

Madame Deberle, calm and dignified, declared that they ought to be
left alone, and would acquit themselves very well.

At one end of the room sat Helene and some other ladies laughing at
the scene which the table presented; all the rosy mouths were eating
with the full strength of their beautiful white teeth. And nothing
could eclipse in drollery the occasional lapses from the polished
behavior of well-bred children to the outrageous freaks of young
savages. With both hands gripping their glasses, they drank to the
very dregs, smeared their faces, and stained their dresses. The clamor
grew worse. The last of the dishes were plundered. Jeanne herself
began dancing on her chair as she heard the strains of a quadrille
coming from the drawing-room; and on her mother approaching to upbraid
her with having eaten too much, she replied: "Oh! mamma, I feel so
happy to-day!"

But n