Presently, after a glance at the clock, Julie put down her work and came to the door between the two rooms.
“You are back, mother,” she said, looking at her gravely.
“So it appears,” snapped her mother without raising her eyes.
“I am afraid you must be tired,” went on Julie calmly. “The day has been so hot. Will you not take a glass of lemonade before supper?”
“Have you got a lemon?” asked Madame Querterot somewhat less crossly.
“Yes,” said Julie.
She opened the cupboard and taking out a lemon, a tumbler, and a lemon squeezer, went about the business of preparing a cool drink for her heated parent.
“Has anyone bought anything to-day?” Madame Querterot asked when after a few minutes the beverage was handed to her. “Put a little more sugar in the glass.”
“A boy came in for a bottle of hair-oil,” replied Julie, “and a few women have bought hair-pins and hair-curlers. It has been a dull day.”