She said that the chatter of children tired her, and therein she agreed with old Gardinois, who seized upon any pretext to annoy his granddaughter.
He believed that he accomplished that object by devoting himself exclusively to Sidonie, and arranging even more entertainments for her than on her former visit.

The carriages that had been shut up in the carriage-house for two years, and were dusted once a week because the spiders spun their webs on the silk cushions, were placed at her disposal.

The horses were harnessed three times a day, and the gate was continually turning on its hinges.

Everybody in the house followed this impulse of worldliness.

The gardener paid more attention to his flowers because Madame Risler selected the finest ones to wear in her hair at dinner.