"And where's yours?" said the Breton as he
swallowed his coffee in one great gulp.
"Oh, some other time I'll have a cup myself."
"Well, just as you please," said our unwelcome guest. "My! but that warms
one up though! My wife never so much as thought to get me a cup of coffee."
"And do you know why?" questioned Celestina severely.
"I suppose you're going to tell me it's because I don't give her enough
money; is that it?"
"Precisely! And that's the truth; isn't it?"
"Now none of your sermons, as I told you in the beginning; didn't I? Don't
I know? Of course it troubles me to see the children with their pale faces,
that used to be so rosy and fat like these two here. By the way what's your
names?"
Again Celestina answered for us--"The smaller girl is the daughter of
Monsieur Dumas, and the other is her cousin, Mademoiselle Paula Javanel."
"Paula Javanel! Paula Javanel!" repeated the Breton as if trying to
remember something. "I think I've heard that name before," and he looked
fixedly at Paula for some seconds, and then suddenly he laughed
immoderately. "Yes, yes; now I remember! Ha! ha! ha! Now I know! You're the
'Cat Mother'!"
"Cat Mother!" and Celestina looked much puzzled.
Pages:
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194