“Oh! even then, if we coax him well—”
“Yes, in certain things; but in others he is immovable. It is just as when upon the journey, we wished to prevent his doing so much for us.”
“Sister, an idea strikes me,” cried Rose, “an excellent idea!”
“What is it? quick!”
“You know the young woman they call Mother Bunch, who appears to be so serviceable and persevering?”
“Oh yes! and so timid and discreet. She seems always to be afraid of giving offence, even if she looks at one. Yesterday, she did not perceive that I saw her; but her eyes were fixed on you with so good and sweet an expression, that tears came into mine at the very sight of it.”
“Well, we must ask her how she gets work, for certainly she lives by her labor.”
“You are right. She will tell us all about it; and when we know, Dagobert may scold us, or try to make great ladies of us, but we will be as obstinate as he is.”
“That is it; we must show some spirit! We will prove to him, as he says himself, that we have soldier’s blood in our veins.”
“We will say to him: ‘Suppose, as you say, we should one day be rich, my good Dagobert, we shall only remember this time with the more pleasure.”