“I am in a great hurry,” Auguste ventured to observe. “Please give me the address, just the name of the street and the number, I require nothing further.”
“The address,” said the uncle, “wait a bit, directly.”
And, carried away by his feelings, which were overflowing, he caught hold of Gueulin’s hands.
“You ungrateful fellow, I was keeping her for you, on my word of honor! I said to myself: If he’s good, I’ll give her to him. Oh! in a proper manner, with a dowry of fifty thousand francs. And, you dirty beast! you can’t wait, you go and take her like that, all on a sudden!”
“No, let me be!” said Gueulin, affected by the old chap’s kindness of heart. “I see very well that the annoyances are going to continue.”
But Bachelard dragged him before the young girl and asked her:
“Come now, Fifi, look at him, would you have loved him?”
“If it would have pleased you, uncle,” answered she.
This kind reply quite broke his heart. He wiped his eyes, blew his nose, and almost choked. Well! he would see. He had always wished to make her happy. And he suddenly sent Gueulin off about his business.
“Be off. I will think about it.”