"Ha, ha!" laughed Aurora, "an' wad of dad? I would say dad, me, fo'
time' a day. I gi'e you my word 'e don godd dad sens' to know wad
dad mean."

"Ah! don godd sens'!" cried Clotilde, lifting her head up suddenly with
a face of agony. "'E reg--'e reggo-ni-i-ize me!"

Aurora caught her daughter's cheeks between her hands and laughed all
over them.

"_Mais_, don you see 'ow dad was luggy? Now, you know?--'e goin' fall
in love wid you an' you goin' 'ave dad sadizfagzion to rif-use de
biggis' hand in Noo-'leans. An' you will be h-even, ha, ha! Bud me--you
wand to know wad I thing aboud 'im? I thing 'e is one--egcellen'
drug-cl--ah, ha, ha!"

Clotilde replied with a smile of grieved incredulity.

"De bez in de ciddy!" insisted the other. She crossed the forefinger of
one hand upon that of the other and kissed them, reversed the cross and
kissed them again. "_Mais_, ad de sem tam," she added, giving her
daughter time to smile, "I thing 'e is one _noble gen'leman_. Nod to
sood me, of coze, _mais, çà fait rien_--daz nott'n; me, I am now a h'ole
woman, you know, eh? Noboddie can' nevva sood me no mo', nod ivven dad
Govenno' Cleb-orne."

She tried to look old and jaded.

"Ah, Govenno' Cleb-orne!" exclaimed Clotilde.