h with his favourite
dish--shrimps--and Barbara could hardly eat anything herself, being
completely fascinated with watching him. He had helped himself pretty
liberally, and, to her amazement, began to eat them with lightning
speed. He bent fairly low over his plate, resting an elbow on each
side, and, putting in the whole shrimp with his left hand, almost
immediately seemed to take out the head and tail with the other,
working with machine-like regularity. It was an accomplishment that
Barbara was sure would bring him in a lot of money at a show, and she
began to picture to herself a large advertisement, "Instantaneous
Shrimp-eater," and the products that might arise therefrom.

When he had almost demolished the dish of shrimps he stopped, looked a
little regretfully at the _debris_ on his plate, then straightened
himself in his chair, and began to take an interest in what was going
on around him. He smiled benignly on his sisters, teased his daughter,
and looked with shy curiosity at Barbara, to whom he did not dare to
address any remarks until nearly the end of lunch. Then he said very
slowly, and in a loud voice as if speaking to a deaf person, "Has the
English mademoiselle visited the Mont St. Michel yet?"

Barbara shook her head.

"It is a pleasure for the future, I hope," she said.

"But certainly, of course, she must go there," he said, still speaking
laboriously. Then after that effort, as if exhausted, he relapsed into
silence.

But Mademoiselle Therese pursued the idea, and before the meal was over
had fixed a day in the following week for the excursion. As her sister
had already been at the Mont more than once, it was decided she should
remain with Marie, so that the pleasant task of accompanying Barbara
fell, as usual, to Mademoiselle Therese. At the last moment the
numbers were increased by the little widower, who suddenly made up his
mind to join them, with his eldest son.

"It is long since I have been," he declared, "and it is part of the
education of Jean to see the wonders of his native land. Therefore,
mademoiselle, if you permit us, we will join you to-morrow. It will be
doubly pleasant for us to go in the company of one so learned."

Mademoiselle Therese could not help bowing at such a compliment, but it
is doubtful whether she really appreciated the widower's proposal. The
little man was quite capable of contradicting information she might
give Barbara if he thought it incorrect