"Bravo!" cried Pranken.
"Thank you," said the Major, "Interrupt me as often as you will; I have learned to take flying leaps, and every obstacle gives me a chance for a higher bound. Once more, ladies and gentlemen! the human race is divided into male and female."
General laughter, which delighted the Major.
"Here you behold a pair in the garden of Eden—"
"Perhaps you would like this to complete your picture?" said Pranken, handing the Major an apple.
Roland was indignant with Pranken for interfering so often, and begged the Major not to let himself be confused by it.
"Be easy, my boy," said the Major in a low voice; "I can stand fire."
Then he continued aloud:—
"So we have here two children, the daughter of the house and the son of the house; and the children have us. They have their parents; they have a grandmother and an aunt by election, and here,"—giving himself a ringing blow on his chest,—"here they have an uncle. We love them as if they were our own blood, and they love us, do they not, children?"
"Yes!" cried Roland, and Manna nodded.