Soon the father entered.

He was one of those mild, unpretentious men who let everybody run over them.
He tried to be gay when he entered his own house.

He raised his little boy aloft with one arm, before kissing him, exclaiming, "Houp la!" A moment later he kissed his young wife and held her close to him, tenderly, as he asked, with an anxious look: "Have you coughed much to-day ?" She always replied, hanging her head like a child who tells an untruth, "No, not very much." The father would then put on an old coat--the one he took off was not very new.

Amedee was then seated in a high chair before his mug, and the young mother, going into the kitchen, would bring in the supper.

After opening his napkin, the father would brush back behind his ear with his hand a long lock on the right side, that always fell into his eyes.
"Is there too much of a breeze this evening?
you afraid to go out upon the balcony, Lucie?
Put a shawl on, then," said M.Violette, while his wife was pouring the water remaining in the carafe upon a box where some nasturtiums were growing.
"No, Paul, I am sure--take Amedee down from his chair, and let us go out upon the balcony." It was cool upon this high balcony.