so?'

Madame's laugh was now a gurgle of delight. 'How clever of monsieur!
Yes, it was what he said.'

'Of course it was! And now, how was this good husband? And how was life
treating them both?' He put the questions with deep solicitude as he
poured out the coffee, and madame, standing by the table and smoothing
her apron, grew serious, and before she was aware was pouring forth the
grievance that at the moment was darkening her existence--the
disappointment that had befallen the Maison Gustav when her
father-in-law, a market gardener near Issy, who had a nice little sum of
money laid by, had married again at the age of sixty-four.

'Could monsieur conceive anything more grotesque? An old man of
sixty-four marrying a young woman of twenty! Of course there would be a
child!' Her shoulders went up, her hands went out in expressive gesture.
'And her little Léon would be cheated of his grandfather's money by this
creature who--'

At this juncture the sound of a kettle boiling over brought the story to
an abrupt end, and madame flew off, leaving her guests to a not
unwelcome solitude.

As her black skirt whisked round the corner of the door the boy looked
at his companion.

"You come here often," he said.

The other laughed. "I've never set foot in the place before. It's a way