Forthepatriarchwasnotgiventojoking。Icanstillseehisseriousface，hisunclippedheadofhair，oftenbroughtbackbehindhisearswithaflickofthethumbandspreadingitsancientGallicmaneoverhisshoulders。Iseehislittlethree—corneredhat，hissmallclothesbuckledattheknees，hiswoodenshoes，stuffedwithstraw，thatechoedashewalked。Ah，no！Oncechildhood’sgameswerepast，itwouldneverhavedonetoreartheGrasshopperandunearththeDungbeetlefromhisnaturalsurroundings。
Grandmother，pioussoul，usedtoweartheeccentricheaddressoftheRouerguehighlanders:alargediskofblackfelt，stiffasaplank，adornedinthemiddlewithacrownafinger’sbreadthhighandhardlywideracrossthanasixfrancpiece。Ablackribbonfastenedunderthechinmaintainedtheequilibriumofthiselegant，butunsteadycircle。Pickles，hemp，chickens，curdsandwhey，butter;washingtheclothes，mindingthechildren，seeingtothemealsofthehousehold:saythatandyouhavesummedupthestrenuouswoman’sroundofideas。Onherleftside，thedistaff，withitsloadofflax;inherrighthand，thespindleturningunderaquicktwistofherthumb，moistenedatintervalswithhertongue:
soshewentthroughlife，unwearied，attendingtotheorderandthewelfareofthehouse。Iseeherinmymind’seyeparticularlyonwinterevenings，whichweremorefavorabletofamilytalk。Whenthehourcameformeals，allofus，bigandlittle，wouldtakeourseatsroundalongtable，onacoupleofbenches，dealplankssupportedbyfourricketylegs。Eachfoundhiswoodenbowlandhistinspooninfrontofhim。Atoneendofthetablealwaysstoodanenormousryeloaf，thesizeofacartwheel，wrappedinalinenclothwithapleasantsmellofwashing，andremaineduntilnothingwasleftofit。Withavigorousstroke，grandfatherwouldcutoffenoughfortheneedsofthemoment;thenhewoulddividethepieceamonguswiththeoneknifewhichhealonewasentitledtowield。
Itwasnoweachone’sbusinesstobreakuphisbitwithhisfingersandtofillhisbowlashepleased。
Nextcamegrandmother’sturn。Acapaciouspotbubbledlustilyandsangupontheflamesinthehearth，exhalinganappetizingsavorofbaconandturnips。Armedwithalongmetalladle，grandmotherwouldtakefromit，foreachofusinturn，firstthebroth，whereintosoakthebread，andnexttherationofturnipsandbacon，partlyfatandpartlylean，fillingthebowltothetop。Attheotherendofthetablewasthepitcher，fromwhichthethirstywerefreetodrinkatwill。Whatappetiteswehadandwhatfestivemealsthosewere，especiallywhenacreamcheese，homemade，wastheretocompletethebanquet！