Things went on
somehow; Patoux himself was perfectly satisfied with his small
earnings and position in life--Madame Patoux felt that "le bon Dieu"
was specially engaged in looking after her,--and as long as the
wicked Babette and the wickeder Henri threw themselves wildly into
her arms and clung round her fat neck imploring pardon after any and
every misdeed, and sat for a while "en penitence" in separate
corners reading the "Hours of Mary", they might be as naughty as
they chose over and over again so far as the good-natured mother was
concerned. Just now, however, unusual calm appeared to have settled
on the Patoux household,--an atmosphere of general placidity and
peace prevailed, which had the effect of imparting almost a stately
air to the tumble-down house, and a suggestion of luxury to the
poorly-furnished rooms Madame Patoux herself was conscious of a
mysterious dignity in her surroundings, and moved about on her
various household duties with less bounce and fuss than was her
ordinary custom,--and Henri and Babette sat quiet without being told
to do so, moved apparently by a sudden and inexplicable desire to
study their lessons. All this had been brought about by the advent
of Cardinal Bonpre, who with his kind face, gentle voice and
beneficent manner, had sought and found lodging at the Hotel
Poitiers, notwithstanding Madame Patoux's profuse apologies for the
narrowness and inconvenience of her best rooms.
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