fter the sixth, from eating four huge pieces
of _quiche_ before her churching. Big Peter did not marry again, having
concluded that he had workers enough, and he continued to add to his
fortune nicely. But, as standing jokes last a long time in villages, the
miller's comrades still spoke to him about those famous millions which
he did not bring back from America, and Big Peter grew very red under
his flour, just as he used to in his earlier days.

On the 4th of September, then, he married his second son to a good big
woman of Altroff, who had fat and blazing cheeks: this being a kind of
beauty much affected in the country. The wedding took place at the mill,
because the bride was orphaned of father and mother, and had previously
lived with the nuns of Molsheim.

A messenger came and told Pierre Langevin that a gentleman wearing
decorations had something to say to him, and Fougas appeared in all his
glory. "My good sir," said the miller, "I am far from being in a mood to
talk business, as we just took a good pull at white wine before mass;
but we are going to drink some red wine that's by no means bad, at
dinner, and if your heart prompts you, don't be backward! The table is
a long one. We can talk afterwards. You don't say no? Then that's yes."

"For once," thought Fougas, "I am not mistaken. This is surely the voice
of Nature! I would have liked a soldier better, but this genial rustic,
so comfortably rounded, satisfies my heart. I cannot be indebted to him
for many gratifications of my pride; but never mind! I am sure of _his_
good-will."

Dinner was served, and the table more heavily laden with viands than the
stomach of Gargantua. Big Peter, as proud of his big family as of his
little fortune, made the Colonel stand by as he enumerated his children.
And Fougas was joyful at learning that he had six welcome grandchildren.

He was seated at the right of a little stunted old woman who was
presented to him as the grandmother of the youngsters. Heavens! how
changed Clementine appeared to him. Save the eyes which were still
lively and sparkling, there was no longer anything about her that could
be recognized. "See," thought Fougas, "what I would have been like
to-day, if the worthy John Meiser had not desiccated me!" He smiled to
himself on regarding Grandfather Langevin, the reputed progenitor of
this numerous family. "Poor old fellow," murmured Fougas, "you little
think what you owe to me!"

They dine boisterously