[The Man With The Broken Ear by Edmond About]@TWC D-Link bookThe Man With The Broken Ear CHAPTER I 11/18
And the neighbors, meeting each other, said with a satisfaction free from jealousy: "That is Renault's son, who has been at work three years in the Russian mines, and now has come to share his fortune with his old parents." Leon also noticed several familiar faces, but not all that he wished to see.
For he bent over an instant to his mother's ear, saying: "And Clementine ?" This word was pronounced so low and so close that M. Renault himself could not tell whether it was a word or a kiss.
The good lady smiled tenderly, and answered but a single word: "Patience!" As if patience were a virtue very common among lovers! The door of the house was wide open, and old Gothon was standing on the threshold.
She raised her arms toward heaven and cried like a booby, for she had known Leon since he was not much higher than her wash-tub. There was now another formidable hugging on the upper step, between the good old servant and her young master.
After a reasonable interval, the friends of M.Renault prepared to leave, but it was wasted pains; for they were assured that their places at table had already been prepared. And when all save the invisible Clementine were reassembled in the parlor, the great round-backed chairs held out their arms to the scion of the house of Renault; the old mirror on the mantle delighted to reflect his image; the great chandelier chimed a little song of welcome with its crystal pendants, and the mandarins on the etagere shook their heads in sign of welcome, as if they were orthodox _penates_ instead of strangers and pagans.
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