She met the alarmed parents with a good-humoured, easy grace: for nobody matched her in, I know not whether to say the possession or the assumption of a certain rondeur et franchise de bonne femme , 38 which on various occasions gained the point aimed at with instant and complete success, where severe gravity and serious reasoning would probably have failed.

“ Ce pauvre Docteur Jean! ” she would say, chuckling and rubbing joyously her fat little white hands; “ ce cher jeune homme! le meilleur créature du monde! ” 39 and go on to explain how she happened to be employing him for her own children, who were so fond of him they would scream themselves into fits at the thought of another doctor; how, where she had confidence for her own, she thought it natural to repose trust for others, and au reste, it was only the most temporary expedient in the world; Blanche and Angélique had the migraine; Dr. John had written a prescription; voilà tout !