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?‰mile, 1840-1902

"Four Short Stories By Emile Zola"


"Well?" he asked in utter bewilderment.
"Well, what?" she said without turning round. Then negligently:
"What did you mean? He's very nice, is your brother!"
"So it's all right, is it?"
"Oh, certainly it's all right! Goodness me, what's come over you? One
would have thought we were going to fight!"
Georges still failed to understand.
"I thought I heard--that is, you didn't cry?" he stammered out.
"Me cry!" she exclaimed, looking fixedly at him. "Why, you're dreaming!
What makes you think I cried?"
Thereupon the lad was treated to a distressing scene for having
disobeyed and played Paul Pry behind the door. She sulked, and he
returned with coaxing submissiveness to the old subject, for he wished
to know all about it.
"And my brother then?"
"Your brother saw where he was at once. You know, I might have been a
tottie, in which case his interference would have been accounted for
by your age and the family honor! Oh yes, I understand those kinds of
feelings! But a single glance was enough for him, and he behaved like
a well-bred man at once. So don't be anxious any longer. It's all
over--he's gone to quiet your mamma!"
And she went on laughingly:
"For that matter, you'll see your brother here.


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