"You!" said he, looking at her over his shoulder, "ask a favor of me!"
"Yes. It is that since you now lodge with us, and will be in some respects one of the family, you will give us the pleasure of dining with us, at least for once."
"Ah, ah!" said he, turning his nose toward the kitchen, "that is another thing!"
He seemed to be considering whether to grant us this favor or not. We waited for him to answer, when he gave another sniff and threw his cartridge-box on the bed, saying:
"Well, so be it! We will go and see!"
"Wretch!" thought I, "if I could make you eat potatoes!"
But Sorlé seemed satisfied, and said:
"This way, Mr. Sergeant; this way, if you please."
When we went into the dining-room I saw that everything was prepared as if for a prince; the floor swept, the table carefully laid, a white table-cloth, and our silver knives and forks.
Sorlé placed the sergeant in my arm-chair at the head of the table, which seemed to him the most natural thing in the world.