An old gardener, his wife, a son paid by the day, and a daughter who served as a dairy-woman, made up the household.

Madame Durieu had lately and secretly had the Cinq-Cygne liveries made for the gardener's son and for Gothard.

Though blamed for this imprudence by Monsieur d'Hauteserre, the housekeeper took great pleasure in seeing the dinner served on the festival of Saint-Laurence, the countess's fete-day, with almost as much style as in former times.
This slow and difficult restoration of departed things was the delight of Monsieur and Madame d'Hauteserre and the Durieus.

Laurence smiled at what she thought nonsense.

But the worthy old d'Hauteserre did not forget the more solid matters; he repaired the buildings, put up the walls, planted trees wherever there was a chance to make them grow, and did not leave an inch of unproductive land.