"Yes, Marianne," he replied, smiling, "for fear that my father, who is on his journey, should hear the noise." Then, gently patting her on the shoulder, he added, "My good Marianne, you would not wish to give my father a headache?" Marianne shook her head, told him he was a wheedler, and went to fetch the cherries.
Since Louis had given up the idea of employing any but gentle means in the attainment of his wishes, he discovered a vast number of such means, which would never otherwise have occurred to him. This evening he found an opportunity of telling Marianne that the cherries were excellent, and from this point went on to speak of the pleasure it would give his mother to find there were so much fewer quarrels in the house; and Marianne was so pleased at having contributed to this pacification, that the same evening she placed, of her own accord, the lamp upon the table, instead of on the mantel-piece, a thing she had never before consented to do, without having been first scolded about it by Madame Ballier.
Time passed, and M. Delong was approaching home, although slowly, being obliged to travel by short stages, and to rest frequently. They had now but one week more to wait, and the day before his arrival was the fête-day of the village in which M. Lebeau's country house was situated. This fête was a celebrated one in the neighbourhood; there was a grand fair, dancing in a pretty meadow, games, and boating on the river. Louis was to pass the day with the Lebeau family, and promised himself great pleasure, enhanced by the assurance of still greater happiness, a few days afterwards, on the arrival of his father and mother. He had spoken of this party to his aunt, and she had consented to his going, with an expression of vexation which had not escaped Louis, but the cause of which he had not courage enough to investigate. He soon perceived, however, that his aunt was herself embarrassed about going to this fête. Those persons with whom she was most intimate in the town were absent; others had made up their parties, which she could not join, or which did not suit her, and during three days she had a fund of ill-humour, and Louis a feeling of discomfort, for which he dared not venture to account. At length he confessed to himself, that if he was ill at ease, it was because he was not performing his duty; and from this moment the only question was, how to summon resolution for its performance: a difficult duty is more than half accomplished when we have once acknowledged its necessity. Yet, to renounce his engagement with the Lebeau family, and give up his whole day to his aunt, was a sacrifice which, three weeks before, would never have entered his mind. But now that the arrival of his mother drew so near, he was more than ever engrossed with the desire of proving to her that he had conducted himself well in her absence; and it would have been vexatious to spoil all his labour by leaving with his aunt a sufficiently legitimate cause of complaint. Still he hesitated, grieved at the idea of relinquishing the delightful prospect in view, but a letter from his mother put an end to his uncertainty. A sensible amelioration had permitted M. Delong to hasten his journey, and he was to arrive the day after the fête. Madame Delong at the same time mentioned to her son her anxiety respecting his conduct to his aunt, of which the last letters received from her gave but an indifferent idea. Louis triumphantly smiled to himself at his mother's fears, and at the happiness he was preparing for her; and, full of these delightful thoughts, he so vividly transported himself in imagination to the day of her arrival, that it was easy for him to leap over that of the fête. He ran to his aunt, who was already informed by letter of his father's more speedy arrival, and hastened to propose to take her to the fête with him. When she objected, by saying that he would have much more amusement with the family of M. Lebeau, he was on the point of answering "Very well, aunt;" happily, however, he checked himself in time, and simply replied that he should have great pleasure in escorting her; and this was quite true; for at this moment all was pleasure to him. He then went to M. Lebeau, to excuse himself from his engagement. M. Lebeau was annoyed, and inquired, "How is it that your aunt can find no one to take charge of her?"
"All her acquaintances are in the country," replied Louis; "there is perhaps no one left in town with whom she is so well acquainted as with yourself."
"And I am not going to take her, I assure you," said M. Lebeau.
"That I am quite aware of," said Louis, somewhat offended in his turn; for he probably thought that a little good-nature on the part of M. Lebeau would have settled everything satisfactorily.
"What a pity!" said Eugenia, in a low tone, glancing timidly at her father: "there is abundance of room in the boat."
"There is no room for any one but ourselves," said M. Lebeau, hastily, for he had overheard or guessed what she said: "and suppose it should upset—do you imagine I want to have to run after Madame Ballier?"
"There is no question about the matter," said Louis, still more displeased; "I am going with my aunt."