"Laura," he said, lifting her from the cushions and holding her in his arms, "can you listen to a story?"
"Yes," said the child wearily.
"Listen, then, ma fillette, and try to understand me. It is long ago that I heard this story, when I was a little child like you, and perhaps you have heard it many times, for it comes from a book that English people read. There was a man who had a great many sons—twelve, I think—and he loved one of them more than all the others; we do not know why—perhaps he was beautiful and good. This boy was of course very happy at home, because he was always with his father, who gave him everything he wanted. But at last his brothers grew angry—-jealous, I think you call it in English."
Laura drew in her breath with a sigh of contentment. "Why," she interrupted, "you are telling me about Joseph!"
"Yes," he replied gravely, "and ma fillette knows that Joseph was sent to a country a long way off, far from his father who loved him."
"Like me," said Laura sighing.
"And ma fillette knows, too, that Joseph saw his father again."
"After a long, long time," said the child.
"After a long time, it is true; but what did he do then?"