“On the contrary, papa.”
“What do you mean by on the contrary; you either have a pain, or——”
“No, s—s—since I—I say on the c—c—contrary!”
“My child, your answers are very foolish.—If this doesn’t go away, I will tell the maid to prepare me an enema of marshmallow.”
“Please remember that the maid is getting her dinner ready; she is looking after her kitchen fire, and how do you suppose that she can leave that to make you an enema?”
“I don’t care for that; if I am ill, it seems to me that it is more important to take care of me than to get the dinner.”
“But, monsieur, we have ten people to dinner, and it’s after four o’clock.”
“Then, madame, go and prepare it for me yourself.”
“Mon Dieu! just for a paltry pain in the stomach! Often it doesn’t amount to anything; go—somewhere, monsieur, and it will pass away.”
“I shall not go anywhere, madame, because I have no desire to.”