And then he turned to Maxime and Charles.

"Well, nephew, you have seen your boy at last. Is it not true that he
is pretty, and that he is a credit to you, after all?"

Felicite hastened to interfere. Greatly dissatisfied with the turn
which affairs were taking, she was now anxious only to get away.

"He is certainly a handsome boy, and less backward than people think.
Just see how skilful he is with his hands. And you will see when you
have brightened him up in Paris, in a different way from what we have
been able to do at Plassans, eh?"

"No doubt," murmured Maxime. "I do not say no; I will think about it."

He seemed embarrassed for a moment, and then added:

"You know I came only to see him. I cannot take him with me now as I
am to spend a month at St. Gervais. But as soon as I return to Paris I
will think of it, I will write to you."

Then, taking out his watch, he cried:

"The devil! Half-past five. You know that I would not miss the nine
o'clock train for anything in the world."

"Yes, yes, let us go," said Felicite brusquely. "We have nothing more
to do here."

Macquart, whom his sister-in-law's anger seemed still to divert,