But Cachelin exclaimed: "Good, very good. You find it awkward. I will
run and tell him myself." And he rushed to the apartment of his
son-in-law. On seeing him enter, Lesable, who was doing nothing, rose and
looked inquiringly at Cachelin, who left him no time for conjecture, but
cried: "Do you know your wife is in the family way?"
The husband was stricken speechless, his countenance changed, and the
blood surged to the roots of his hair: "What? How? Cora? you say--" he
faltered when he recovered his voice.
"I say that she is pregnant; do you understand? Now is our chance!"
In his joy he took Lesable's hands and pressed and shook them, as if
to felicitate him, to thank him, and cried: "Ah, at last it is true, it
is true! it is true! Think of the fortune we shall have!" and unable to
contain himself longer, he caught his son-in-law in his arms and embraced
him, crying: "More than a million! think of it! more than a million!" and
he began to dance more violently than ever.
"But come, she is waiting for you, come and embrace her, at least," and
taking him by the shoulders he pushed Lesable before him, and threw him
like a ball into the apartment where Cora stood anxiously waiting and
listening.
The moment she saw her husband, she recoiled, stifled with a sudden
emotion. He stood before her, pale and severe. He had the air of a judge,
and she of a culprit. At last he said: "It seems that you are pregnant."