Mademoiselle, we say, began to rise. Chester stood. Also Cupid. The
aunts drew near, speaking with infantile lightness:
"Finizh' already that reading? You muz' have gallop'! Well, and what
is Mr. Chezter's conclusion on that momentouz manuscrip'?"
The niece hurried to answer first: "Ah! we must not ask that so
immediately. Mr. Chester concludes 'tis better for all that he study
that an evening or two in his seclusion."
"And! you did not read it through together?"
"No, there was no advantage to----"
"Oh! advantage! An' you stop' in the mi'l of that momentouz souvenir
of the pas'! Tha'z astonizhing that _anybody_ could do that, an' leas'
of all" [confronting Chester] "the daughter of a papa an' gran'papa
with such a drama-tique bio-graphie! Mr. Chezter, to pazz the time
Aline ought to 'ave tell you that bio-graphie, yes!--of our marvellouz
brother an' papa. Ah, you should some day egstort _that_ story from
our too li'l' communicative girl."
"Why not to-day, for the book?"
"Oh, no-no-no-no-o! We di'n' mean that!" The sisters laughed
excessively. "A young lady to put her own papa into a book--ah!
im-pos-si-ble!"
They laughed on. "Even my sizter an' me, we have never let anybody
egstort that, an' we don't know if Aline ever be persuade'----"
"Yes, some day I'll tell Mr. Chezter--whatever he doesn't know already."
"Ha-ha! we can be sure tha'z not much, Aline. And, Corinne, if he's
_heard_ this or that, tha'z the more reason to tell him co'rec'ly.
Only, my soul! not to put in the book, no!"
"Ah, no! Though as between frien', yes. And, moreover, to Mr.
Chezter, yes, biccause tha'z so much abbout that Hotel St. Louis and he
is so appreciative to old building'. Ah, we've notice' that incident!
Tha'z the cause that we egs'ibit you our house--as a relique of the
pas'--Yvonne! we are forgetting!--those souvenir' of our in-fancy--to
show them! Come--all!"
Half-way to the house--"Ah, ha-ha! another subjec' of interess! See,
Mr. Chezter; see coming! Marie Madeleine! She's mis' both her beloved
miztress' from the house and become anxious, our beautiful cat! We
name' her Marie Madeleine because her great piety! You know, tha'z the
sacred truth, that she never catch' a mice on Sunday."
"Ah, neither the whole of Lent!"
In the parlor--"I really think," Chester said, "I must ask you to let
me take another time for the souvenirs. I'm so eager to save this
manuscript any further delay--" He said good-by.
Yet he did not hurry to his lodgings. He had had an experience too
great, too rapt, to be rehearsed in his heart inside any small, mean
room. All the open air and rapid transit he could get were not too
much, till at lamplight he might sit down somewhere and hold himself to
the manuscript.
Meantime the Chapdelaines had been but a moment alone when more
visitors rang--a pair! Their feet could be seen under the gate--two
male, two female--that is not a land where women have men's feet.
Flattering, fluttering adventure--five callers in one afternoon!
"Aline, we are becoming a public institution!" The aunts sprang here,
there, and into collision; Cupid sped down the walk; Marie Madeleine
stood in the door.
And who were these but the dear De l'Isles!
"No," they would not come inside. "But, Corinne, Yvonne, Aline, run,
toss on hats for a trip to Spanish Fort."
One charm of that trip is that the fare is but, five cents, and the
crab gumbo no dearer than in town. "Come! No-no-no, not one, but the
three of you. In pure compassion on us! For, as sometimes in heaven
among cherubim, we are _ennuyés_ of each other!"
The small half-hourly electric train in Rampart Street had barely
started lakeward into Canal, with the De l'Isle-Chapdelaine five aboard
and the sun about to set, when Geoffry Chester entered--and stopped
before monsieur, stiff with embarrassment. Nevertheless that made them
a glad six, and, as each seat was for two, the two with life before
them took one.