Fanchette now appeared upon the scene, indignant and out of breath. The child, tossing the kitten from him, sprung upon Haggard's lap, and again expressed his intense desire to be present at the execution of the kittens.
"Dad," he said in a tone of affectionate entreaty, "I never seed a titten drowned."
Perhaps it was natural after all. Just in the same way as an adult goes to an execution, because he "never has seen one, you know"—he forgets that it is "a thing to shudder at not to see"—so the little Lucius was anxious to assist at the immolation of the kittens.
"No, my man, you mustn't be cruel," and then Haggard attempted to argue with the child. But the little fellow pleaded, looking up into Haggard's face with his big brown eyes.
"Me tiss oo, dad," he said, and he did so vehemently. Haggard stroked the child's long golden curls, and placed him gently on the floor.
"Can't be done, my man," he said. At once the child's face changed and became frightful to behold; the corners of his mouth went down, the whites of his eyes became injected, the tears coursed freely down his cheeks, he clenched his little fists and screamed aloud in his rage and fury.
"Debil!" he shouted in his passion, and he shook his fists at Haggard in impotent rage.
"Take him away, Fanchette," said Haggard with a laugh.
The bonne smiled and caught the infuriated child up in her arms.
"Ah ma foi, monsieur," she exclaimed, "après tout, c'est naturel, il aime le spectacle, le beau bébé."