Mais voici qu’avant que le dîner fût sonné mon grand-père eut la férocité inconsciente de dire: «Le petit a l’air fatigué, il devrait monter se coucher. On dîne tard du reste ce soir.» Et mon père, qui ne gardait pas aussi scrupuleusement que ma grand’mère et que ma mère la foi des traités, dit: «Oui, allons, vas te coucher.» Je voulus embrasser maman, à cet instant on entendit la cloche du dîner. « →
But to-night, before the dinner-bell had sounded, my grandfather said with unconscious cruelty: "The little man looks tired; he'd better go up to bed. Besides, we are dining late to-night." And my father, who was less scrupulous than my grandmother or mother in observing the letter of a treaty, went on: "Yes, run along; to bed with you." I would have kissed Mamma then and there, but at that moment the dinner-bell rang.