At this moment the servant entered, and said to her mistress:
"Madame, Mlle. Hubert is here with her maid, and—"
"Antonine? What good fortune!" said Sophie, rising immediately, and going to meet the young girl.
"Madame," added the servant, mysteriously, "Agatha wants to know if M. Pascal likes his peas with sugar or bacon?"
"Charles!" called Sophie, merrily, to her husband, "this is a grave question, what do you think of it?"
"Make one dish of peas with sugar, and the other with bacon," replied Charles, thoughtfully.
"It takes mathematicians to solve problems," replied Sophie, then, taking her children by the hand, she added: "I want Antonine to see how large and pretty they are."
"But I hope you will persuade Mlle. Hubert to come in, or I must go after her."
"I am going to take the children to their nurse, and I will return with Antonine."
"Charles," said the old man, rising, when the young woman had disappeared, "give me your arm, please."