The Merry Men, and Other Tales and Fables

une, with cool smooth cheeks, steady, dark eyes, and hands that neither art nor nature could improve. She was the sort of person over whom adversity pa

in that pleasant old house, with a green garden behind and bright flowers about the window, to eat and drink of the best, to gossip with a neighbour for a quarter of an hour, never to wear stays or a dress except when she went to Fontainebleau shopping, to be kept in a continual supply of racy novels, and to be married to Doctor De

g was in its place; everything capable of polish shone gloriously; and dust was a thing banished from her empire. Aline, their single servant, had no ot

The Doctor drank half a bottle plus one glass, the wife half a bottle minus the same quantity, which was a marital privilege, of an excellent C?te-R?tie, seven years old. Then the coffe

adorable-a very fortunate circumstance upon the whole-Anastasie, I beseech you, go without

friend?' inquired Anastasie, not heeding

e kitchen delicacies, how they would all have suffered, how they would all have been sacrificed! And for what? Children are the last word of human imperfection. Health flees before their face. They cry, my dear; they put vexatious questions; they d

'Now, that is like you-to take cred

e Doctor, solemnly, 'w

e my own flesh and blood, I would not say no. But to take another person

And I am all the better pleased with our wisd

asked, with a faint

rson,' said the Doctor firmly, 'an

lost your reason,' she said; and there was a cl

You will there, I think, recognise the philosopher who has the ecstasy to call you wife. The fact is, I have been reckoning all this while without an accident. I never thought to find a so

hysterics. 'His mind, indeed! Henri, is this an idiotic p

You married the animal side of my nature, dear and it is on the spiritual side that I find my affinity for Jean-Marie. So much so, that, to be perfectly frank, I stand in some awe of him myself. You will ea

willing I am to humour you,' she said, 'in

e boulevard, and my social relations, and all that was my life before I knew you? Have I been faithful? Have I been obedient? Have I not borne m

struck her colours instantly. 'Yo

id when I was first brought to this vile hamlet; then your admirable sense and temper will pr

ce; 'nothing that will make you truly happier. But will this? Are you sure, my

n of the world; I have had all possibilities in view; my plan is contrived to meet them all. I take the lad as stable boy. If he pilfe

he time comes,' said his wif

ty argument, his Excalibur, the hint of a return to Paris. Six months in the capital, for a man of the Doctor's antecedents and relations, implied no less a calamity than total ruin. Anastasie had saved the remainder of his fortune by keeping h

was present at his last passage, and declared the farce over. Then he took Jean-Marie by the shoulder and led him out into the

an not old, though elderly, still enjoying the youth of the heart and the intelligence; a man of instruction; easily situated in this world's affairs; keeping a good table:-a man, neither as friend nor host, to be despised. I offer you your food and clothes, and to teach you lessons in the evening, which will be infinitely more to the purpose for a lad of your stamp than those of all the priests in Europe. I propose no wages, but if ever you take a thought to leave me, the door shall be o

se I can do. I thank you, sir, most kindly,

n, would have placed him in a ridiculous light before Anastasie. 'How hot and heavy is the evening, to be sure! I have always had a fancy to be a fish in summer, Jean-Marie, her

said Je

rmth, though it was a proceeding that seemed to disconcert the sufferer almost as much as if he

recently sprinkled with water; her eyes were half shut, but she affected to be reading a novel as the they ente

uction, adding, for the benefit of both parties

nastasie. 'Will you kiss me

t the tact of women? Heaven knows, I have not met with it in my experience. You address my little philosopher as if he were a

I am sure,' replied Anastasie;

terly and distantly out of place, that a saint might have been pardoned a little vehemence in disapproval. Do, do try-if it is possible for a woman to understand young

h the little fellow out of speech and appetite. But she had the true womanly heroism in little affairs. Not only did she refrain from the cheap revenge of exposing the Doctor's errors to himself

nderstand. You will soon grow used to him, and then you will love him, for that nobody can help. As for me, you may be sure, I shall try to make you happy

and tenderness followed. The Doctor, entering, found them enlaced: he concluded that his wife was in fault; and he was just beginning, in an awful v