“I certainly do not blame you for the cause of the trouble, and I have just rebuked Celeste for her assumption; but there are proper forms that must be kept.”
“Forms! what are you talking about? What forms have I neglected?”
“But, my dear friend, to raise your hand against your sister!”
“I, raise my hand against that imbecile? What nonsense you talk!”
“And besides,” continued Thuillier, “a woman of Celeste’s age can’t be kept in prison.”
“Your wife!—have I put her in prison?”
“You can’t deny it, for I found the door of her room double-locked.”
“Parbleu! all this because in my anger at the infamous things she was spitting at me I may have turned the key of the door without intending it.”
“Come, come,” said Thuillier, “these are not proper actions for people of our class.”
“Oh! so it is I who am to blame, is it? Well, my lad, some day you’ll remember this, and we shall see how your household will get along when I have stopped taking care of it.”