If the question had been a matter of business the old
tradesman would have had fixed principles to guide his decision; but,
tossed a thousand miles from commerce, on the ocean of sentiment,
without a compass, he floated, as he told himself, undecided in the
face of such an unexpected event. Carried away by his fatherly
kindness, he began to beat about the bush.
"Deuce take it, Joseph, you must know that there are ten years between
my two children. Mademoiselle Chevrel was no beauty, still she has had
nothing to complain of in me. Do as I did. Come, come, don't cry. Can
you be so silly? What is to be done? It can be managed perhaps. There
is always some way out of a scrape. And we men are not always devoted
Celadons to our wives--you understand? Madame Guillaume is very pious.
. . . Come. By Gad, boy, give your arm to Augustine this morning as we
go to Mass."
These were the phrases spoken at random by the old draper, and their
conclusion made the lover happy. He was already thinking of a friend
of his as a match for Mademoiselle Virginie, as he went out of the
smoky office, pressing his future father-in-law's hand, after saying
with a knowing look that all would turn out for the best.
"What will Madame Guillaume say to it?" was the idea that greatly
troubled the worthy merchant when he found himself alone.
At breakfast Madame Guillaume and Virginie, to whom the draper had not
yet confided his disappointment, cast meaning glances at Joseph Lebas,
who was extremely embarrassed.
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