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Updated: June 28, 2025
"Why! he'll eat you," he gaily said to Marie. "How he's pulling!" "Oh! he does bite me a little," she replied; "but I like that the better, it shows that he profits by it." Then Mere-Grand, she who as a rule was so serious and silent, began to talk with a smile lighting up her face: "I weighed him this morning," said she, "he weighs nearly a quarter of a pound more than he did the last time.
However, it all irritated him beyond endurance; and he therefore again pretended that he had a number of things to see to in Paris. He shook hands in turn with the young men, Mere-Grand and Marie; both of the women evincing great friendliness but also some surprise at his haste to leave the house.
"Yes, I know it as well as you do, and I thought you would speak to me of it, since it pleases you to do nothing here without consulting me." At this he turned very pale and shuddered. So he had not been mistaken in the matter, even Mere-Grand knew all about it.
"Come in, Pierre," called Guillaume; "shake hands with these young men." The priest had remained near the door, overcome by a singular feeling of discomfort. When his nephews had vigorously shaken hands with him, he sat down near the window apart from them, as if he felt out of his element there. "Well, youngsters," said Guillaume, "where's Mere-Grand, and where's Marie?"
Then they rose from table, talking at the top of their voices so as to make themselves heard above the incessant din which came from the big bell. Immediately afterwards they all set to work again. Mere-Grand took her everlasting needlework in hand once more, while Marie, sitting near her, continued some embroidery.
For another moment Mere-Grand continued scrutinising Guillaume; then she once more reverted to her sewing. If she exercised such sway over the home and all its inmates, it was by reason of her long devotion, her intelligence, and the kindliness with which she ruled.
And there was also the smiling heroism of Mere-Grand and Marie, those two women who slept over that laboratory where terrible preparations were manipulated, and where an explosion was always possible. However, such courage, orderliness and dignity merely surprised Pierre, without touching him.
"If he is with you, monsieur," she answered, "he is evidently as comfortable as he can be, and sheltered from all risks. We were surprised, however, by his letter last night, as it did not explain why he was detained, and we should have ended by feeling frightened. But now everything is satisfactory." Mere-Grand and the three sons, following Marie's example, asked no explanations.
That same day Janzen and Bache came to spend the evening with Guillaume. Once a week they now met at Montmartre, as they had formerly done at Neuilly. Pierre, on these occasions, went home very late, for as soon as Mere-Grand, Marie, and Guillaume's sons had retired for the night, there were endless chats in the workroom, whence Paris could be seen spangled with thousands of gas lights.
All at once, however, they became quite anxious, for they noticed that their father looked terribly upset. "My lads," said he, "I've just been a coward. Ah! it's a curious feeling, I had never experienced it before." Thereupon he recounted his fears of an accident, and how quietly Mere-Grand had saved them all from certain death.
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