hey entered the dining-room, and in a
few minutes they all sat down to an improvised dinner.

Only M. Braux had retained his self-possession; his gorilla features
grinned wickedly, while he let fall some words of double meaning which
painfully disconcerted everyone.

But the clock in the hall kept on ticking every second; and Rosalie, lost
in astonishment, came to seek out Caravan, who darted a fierce glance at
her, as she threw down his serviette. His brother-in-law even asked him
whether it was not one of his days to hold a reception, to which he
stammered out, in answer: "No, I have only been executing a few
commissions; nothing more."

Next, a packet was brought in, which he began to open sadly, and from
which dropped out unexpectedly a letter with black borders. Then,
reddening up to the very eyes, he picked up the letter hurriedly, and
pushed it into his waistcoat pocket.

His mother had not seen it! She was looking intently at her clock, which
stood on the mantelpiece, and the embarrassment increased in midst of a
glacial silence. Turning her face towards her daughter, the old woman,
from whose eyes flashed fierce malice, said: "On Monday, you must take me
away from here, so that I can see your little girl. I want so much to see
her." Madame Braux, her features illuminated, exclaimed: "Yes, mother,
that I will," while Mdme. Caravan, the younger, became pale, and seemed
to be enduring the most excruciating agony. The two men, however,
gradually drifted into conversation, and soon became embroiled in a
political discussion. Braux maintained the most revolutionary and
communistic doctrines, gesticulating and throwing about his arms, his
eyes darting like a blood-hound's. "Property, sir," he said, "is robbery
perpetrated on the working classes; the land is the common property of
every man; hereditary rights are an infamy and a disgrace." But,
hereupon, he suddenly stopped, having all the appearance of a man who has
just said something foolish; then, resuming, after a pause, he said, in
softer tones: "But I can see quite well that this is not the proper
moment to discuss such things."

The door was opened, and Doctor Chenet appeared. For a moment he seemed
bewildered, but regaining his usual smirking expression of countenance,
he jauntily approached the old woman, and said: "Ah, hah! mamma, you are
better to-day. Oh! I never had any doubt but you would come round again;
in fact, I said to myself as I was mounting