He took her in his arms and kissed her long and tenderly. Then going to a chair on which he had thrown his coat, he drew from the pocket the bread that he had bought.
“This is my dinner,” he said, showing the bread.
“Oh! I must scold you. Work is making you lose your head. Can you not take time to eat?”
He smiled sadly.
“It is not time that I want.”
He fumbled in his pocket and brought out three big sous.
“I cannot dine at a restaurant with six sous.”
She threw herself in his arms.
“O dearest, forgive me!” she cried. “Poor, dear martyr! Dear, great man! It is I who accuse you, when I ought to embrace your knees. And you do not scold me; a sad smile is your only reply. And it is really so bad as that! Nothing to eat!”
“Bread is very good eating. If I might be assured that I shall always have some!”