Милий друг
Marriage
"
Themanwasshort,corpulent,florid,andvigorous,notwithstandinghisage;thewomanwastall,thin,andmelancholy,withstoopingshoulders—awomanwhohadworkedfromchildhood,whohadneverlaughednorjested.
Madeleine,too,alightedandwatchedthecoupleadvance,withacontractionofherheartshehadnotanticipated.Theydidnotrecognizetheirsoninthatfinegentleman,andtheywouldneverhavetakenthathandsomeladyfortheirdaughter-in-law.Theywalkedalong,passedthechildtheywereexpecting,withoutglancingatthe"cityfolks."
Georgescriedwithalaugh:"Goodday,FatherDuroy."
Boththeoldmanandhiswifewerestruckdumbwithastonishment;thelatterrecoveredherself-possessionfirstandasked:"Isityou,son?"
Theyoungmanreplied:"Yes,itisI,MotherDuroy,"andapproachingher,hekissedheruponbothcheeksandsaid:"Thisismywife."
ThetworusticsstaredatMadeleineasifshewereacuriosity,withanxiousfear,combinedwithasortofsatisfiedapprobationonthepartofthefatherandofjealousenmityonthatofthemother.
M.Duroy,senior,whowasnaturallyjocose,madesoboldastoaskwithatwinkleinhiseye:"MayIkissyoutoo?"HissonutteredanexclamationandMadeleineofferedhercheektotheoldpeasant;whoafterwardwipedhislipswiththebackofhishand.Theoldwoman,inherturn,kissedherdaughter-in-lawwithhostilereserve.
