t, as you are aware, I am an enjoyer. Now, make haste and
drink your coffee, and we will start."

They reached Janville by the two o'clock train. Their plan was to repair
to Chantebled in the first instance, in order that Ambroise and Denis
might begin by talking to Gervais, who was of a gentler nature than
Gregoire, and with whom they thought they might devise some means of
conciliation. Then they intended to betake themselves to the mill,
lecture Gregoire, and impose on him such peace conditions as they might
have agreed upon. As they drew nearer and nearer to the farm, however,
the difficulties of their undertaking appeared to them, and seemed to
increase in magnitude. An arrangement would not be arrived at so easily
as they had at first imagined. So they girded their loins in readiness
for a hard battle.

"Suppose we begin by going to see mamma," Denis suggested. "We should
see and embrace her, and that would give us some courage."

Ambroise deemed the idea an excellent one. "Yes, let us go by all means,
particularly as mamma has always been a good counsellor. She must have
some idea."

They climbed to the first floor of the house, to the spacious room
where Marianne spent her days on a couch beside the window. And to their
stupefaction they found her seated on that couch with Gregoire standing
by her and holding both her hands, while on the other side were Gervais
and Claire, laughing softly.

"Why! what is this?" exclaimed Ambroise in amazement. "The work is
done!"

"And we who despaired of being able to accomplish it!" declared Denis,
with a gesture of bewilderment.

Mathieu was equally stupefied and delighted, and on noticing the
surprise occasioned by the arrival of the two big brothers from Paris,
he proceeded to explain the position.

"I went to Paris this morning to fetch them," he said, "and I've brought
them here to reconcile us all!"

A joyous peal of laughter resounded. The big brothers were too
late! Neither their wisdom nor their diplomacy had been needed. They
themselves made merry over it, feeling the while greatly relieved that
the victory should have been won without any battle.

Marianne, whose eyes were moist, and who felt divinely happy, so happy
that she seemed already well again, simply replied to Mathieu: "You see,
my friend, it's done. But as yet I know nothing further. Gregoire came
here and kissed me, and wished me to send for Gervais and Claire at
once. Then, of his own accor