“Ah! midday, to be sure you can,” answered the old servant.
“Well, let him have his coffee very strong; I heard Monsieur des Grassins say that they make the coffee very strong in Paris. Put in a great deal.”
“Where am I to get it?”
“Buy some.”
“Suppose monsieur meets me?”
“He has gone to his fields.”
“I’ll run, then. But Monsieur Fessard asked me yesterday if the Magi had come to stay with us when I bought the wax candle. All the town will know our goings-on.”
“If your father finds it out,” said Madame Grandet, “he is capable of beating us.”
“Well, let him beat us; we will take his blows on our knees.”
Madame Grandet for all answer raised her eyes to heaven. Nanon put on her hood and went off. Eugenie got out some clean table-linen, and went to fetch a few bunches of grapes which she had amused herself by hanging on a string across the attic; she walked softly along the corridor, so as not to waken her cousin, and she could not help listening at the door to his quiet breathing.