Gaston Leroux

“ They followed him to the orchard.
"What a life for you!" said Patrice. "Between your monomaniac of a father, that stupid old Gertrude and that lad whom I have never seen laugh." And he pointed to Noël's stooping figure. "The natives of Haï-Nan are a melancholy lot; and cultivating the bread-plant does not seem to raise this one's spirits."
"You don't know Noël," said Madeleine. "When he likes, he can be the best of company: ask Gertrude. There are days when he makes us laugh like mad." ”

“ Patrice was going to apologize, but he was interrupted by the arrival of a little girl of thirteen or fourteen, black as a mole, with a pair of glorious eyes. She was dressed in a wretched, short, patched skirt, which showed her skinny calves. Panting, she asked:
"Is that Noël screaming? Is the master beating him again?"
"Yes Zoé," said Gertrude. "It's a pity. . . ."
"Oh, I thought there would be trouble, when I heard the thunder!" said Zoé.
"Come and help me scour my brasses," said Gertrude. ”

“ Patrice turned to old Gertrude, in his surprise, and saw that she was crying.
"Oh dear, he'll kill him! " she said, blowing her nose. "There's no sense in beating a grown-up lad like that."
"You know that papa is always angry when he hears the thunder!" said Madeleine, who seemed cross with Patrice and was almost as much upset as Gertrude. ”