“Biccause, she say, ‘tis those unfortunate rosebud’ of sentimental plaisanterie he give her what firz’ make her to love him.  And mademoiselle she ag-ree’ to that if Melanie she’ll tell that whole story also to her mother; biccause mademoiselle she see what a hole that put them both in, her and Melanie, when she, mademoiselle, is bound to know he’s paying, De l’Isle, all his real intention’ to herseff.  And Melanie she’s in agonie and say no-no-no! but if mademoiselle will tell it, yes!  And by reason that she’s kep’ that from her mother sinze the firz’, she say tell not Mme. Alexandre but Mme. Castanado, even when mademoiselle say if Mme. Castanado then also monsieur; biccause madame she’ll certainly make that condition, and biccause monsieur he can assist her to commenze that whole businezz over, French way.  And same time Melanie she take very li’l’ stock in that French way, by reason that, avter all, those De l’Isle, though their money’s gone, are still pretty high-life.

“And tha’z how it come that those Castanado’ have to tell me.  Biccause madame she cann’ skip ar-ound pretty light, you know, and biccause they think my, eh—­pull—­with those De l’Isle’ is the moze of anybody, and biccause I require to know how they are sure ‘tis uzeless any mo’ for my son, or their son, than for the son of De l’Isle, to sed the heart on Mlle. Aline.  Also tha’z to egsplain me why Mlle. Aline say if all those intention’ to her don’t finizh righd there, she got to stop coming ad Mme. Alexandre.  And of co’se!  You see that, I su’pose?”

“And where was young Dubroca in all this?”

“Ah, another migsture!  He was nowhere.  Any’ow, tha’z how he feel; and those other three boy’ they di’n’ feel otherwise.  You see?  We coul’n’ egsplain them anything—­ab-out Mlle. Aline,—­all we can say:  ’Road close’—­stim-roller.’  So ad the end Dubroca he have, slimly, the advantage; for him, to Melanie, the road any ‘ow seem’ open; yet in vain.  So there, all at same time, in that li’l’ gang, rue Royale, was five heart’ blidding for love, and nine other’ blidding for those five and for Mlle. Aline.

“Well, of co’se—­you see?—­nobody cann’ stand that!  Firzt to find his way out of that is Melanie.  Melanie’s confessor he think tha’z a sin to keep any longer those fact’ from her mother, and she confezz them to Mme. Alexandre, and ad the end she say:  ‘Mamma, in our li’l’ coterie I cann’ look anybody in the face any mo’, and I’m going to biccome train’ nurse.  Tha’z not running away, yet same time tha’z not every evening to be getting me singe’ in the same candle.’

“Then, almoze while she saying that, that son of De l’Isle he say to my son—­who he’s fon’ of like a brother, and my son of him likewise, though the one is a so dashing and the other a so quiet—­’’Oiseau,’ he say,—­biccause tha’z the nickname of my son,—­’papa and me we visit’ the French consul to-day and arrange’ a li’l’ affair.’