Moreover, all his calm, gentle childhood seemed to return to him; he felt an irresistible longing to take refuge in his grandmother's skirts, if only for a minute.
He arrived quite out of breath.

Aunt Dide had not gone to bed, a circumstance which at any other time would have greatly surprised Silvere.

But on entering he did not even see his uncle Rougon, who was seated in a corner on the old chest.

He did not wait for the poor old woman's questions.

"Grandmother," he said quickly, "you must forgive me; I'm going to leave with the others.