Riette flung herself upon him and hugged him like a young bear.
"Ah," he exclaimed, as soon as he could speak, "and is this the way to behave to one's respected father? Do you suppose, now, that Mesdemoiselles de Sainfoy crush their parents to death like this?"
"I dare say not," said Riette, with another hug and a shower of kisses. "But their parents are grand people. They have not a little bijou of a papa like mine. And as for their mamma, she is a cardboard sort of woman."
"All that does not matter. Manners should be the same, whether people are tall or short, great or humble. You know nothing about it, my poor Riette."
"Nor do you!"
"It is becoming plain to me that you must be sent to learn manners."
"Go to bed at once. I must think about it. There, child—enough—I am tired this evening."
"Ah, you have had so many visitors to-day, and that old Joubard is a chatterbox."
"And he is not the only one in the world. Go—do you hear me?"