These facts intensified Don
Marcelo's vision of himself as the father of a general as young as those
of the revolution; and as he contemplated the daubs and sketches around
him, he marvelled at the extraordinary way in which the war had twisted
his son's career.
On his way home, he passed Marguerite Laurier dressed in mourning.
The senator had told him a few days before that her brother, the
artilleryman, had just been killed at Verdun.
"How many are falling!" he said mournfully to himself. "How hard it will
be for his poor mother!"
But he smiled immediately after at the thought of those to be born.
Never before had the people been so occupied in accelerating their
reproduction. Even Madame Laurier now showed with pride the very visible
curves of her approaching maternity, and Desnoyers noted sympathetically
the vital volume apparent beneath her long mourning veil. Again he
thought of Julio, without taking into account the flight of time. He
felt as interested in the little newcomer as though he were in some way
related to it, and he promised himself to aid generously the Laurier
baby if he ever had the opportunity.
On entering his house, he was met in the hall by Dona Luisa, who told
him that Lacour was waiting for him.
"Very good!" he responded gaily. "Let us see what our illustrious
father-in-law has to say.
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