When he caught sight of his old Jasmin, whose red and blotched face wore a more stupid expression than usual, the marquis cried:
“Yes, monsieur le marquis, it’s done! Ah! we had a very hard time, but it’s all right at last.”
Everyone knows that the old servants in great families are in the habit of saying _we_, when speaking of their master’s affairs, and Monsieur de Grandvilain forgave his former jockey for employing that form of expression.
“What! it is all over, Jasmin? Ah! the poor marchioness! But go on, you villain! what is it?”
“It is something magnificent, monsieur, you will be well pleased!”
“But the sex, you rascal, the sex; hasn’t the child any sex?”
“Oh! yes, indeed! a superb sex! we have been delivered of a boy, my dear master.”
“A boy, Jasmin? a boy! Oh! what happiness! but I said so; I was sure of it; I would have bet on it; don’t I always know what I am doing?”
“You are very clever, monsieur le marquis.”
“A boy--I have a son--I have an heir to my name! Jasmin, I will give you a present of ten crowns for bringing me this good news.”
“Thanks, my dear master. Vive les Grandvilains!”
“I have a boy--such pleasure--such--Ah! I can’t stand it any longer. Jasmin, pass me my phial of salts--no, give me a small glass of madeira; I feel as if my heart were stopping.”
“Come, come, monsieur le marquis, pull yourself together,” said Jasmin, as he handed a glass of madeira to his master. “This is not the time to be ill.”
“You are right; but what can you expect?--the shock, the joy--This is the first time I have ever been a father,--to my knowledge, at least--and it produces such an impression! Pray tell me some details while I recover myself; for I haven’t the strength to go to my wife as yet.”
“Well, monsieur le marquis, understand that I had stationed myself outside madame’s door, so that I might come and tell you as soon as the child was born; for I thought that you would be impatient to know about it.”
“After some time I heard cries. I was tempted to run away, but I held my ground, and to give myself courage, I took a good pinch of snuff. Suddenly the door opened; it was the doctor. He was looking for someone; he saw me and motioned for me to go in. I obeyed.”
“What! you went into madame la marquise’s room, you rascal, while----”