."

Then Ambroise turned towards Mathieu, who was waiting, pale and silent:
"Is it true, father, that mamma is ill and causes you anxiety?"

And as his father replied with a long affirmative nod, he gave vent to
his emotion, even as Denis had done at the works immediately on learning
the truth.

"But dash it all," he said; "this affair is becoming quite idiotic! In
my opinion Gregoire is right and Gervais wrong. Only I don't care a fig
about that; they must make it up at once, so that poor mamma may not
have another moment's suffering. But then, why did you shut yourselves
up? Why did you not let us know how grieved you were? Every one would
have reflected and understood things."

Then, all at once, Ambroise embraced his father with that promptness of
decision which he displayed to such happy effect in business as soon as
ever a ray of light illumined his mind.

"After all, father," said he; "you are the cleverest; you understand
things and foresee them. Even if Gregoire were within his rights in
bringing an action against Gervais, it would be idiotic for him to do
so, because far above any petty private interest, there is the interest
of all of us, the interest of the family, which is to remain, united,
compact, and unattackable, if it desires to continue invincible. Our
sovereign strength lies in our union--And so it's simple enough. We
will lunch as quickly as possible and take the first train. We shall
go, Denis and I, to Chantebled with you. Peace must be concluded this
evening. I will see to it."

Laughing, and well pleased to find his own feelings shared by his two
sons, Mathieu returned Ambroise's embrace. And while waiting for lunch
to be served, they went down to see the winter garden, which was being
enlarged for some fetes which Ambroise wished to give. He took pleasure
in adding to the magnificence of the mansion, and in reigning there with
princely pomp. At lunch he apologized for only offering his father
and brother a bachelor's pot-luck, though, truth to tell, the fare was
excellent. Indeed, whenever Andree and the children absented themselves,
Ambroise still kept a good cook to minister to his needs, for he held
the cuisine of restaurants in horror.

"Well, for my part," said Denis, "I go to a restaurant for my meals; for
since Marthe and all the others have been at Dieppe, I have virtually
shut up the house."

"You are a wise man, you see," Ambroise answered, with quiet frankness.
"For my par