Herman Cyril McNeile

“ Never did Henri the elder produce his omelette so superbly.
"'That is my father,' came the proud voice of little Henri, 'and if you're good he will give you the omelette to eat.'
"But naturally. Who else would have that honour on such a day? And after it was over they all came and stared at the bearded woman, and the fleas of Alphonse, until Marie caught up her boy and carried him away from the others. Was he happy? Were his socks mended? Parbleu! At ten years of age one is always happy, and what is a hole in a sock, more or less! ”

“ For she understood the hopelessness of explaining to men that if she thought of the boy she must be thinking of herself, too. You can't divide a good mother and her son and treat them as two beings. A father and his child—yes—but not a mother. ”

“ Always there lies in front of him the goal of success, and so he is spurred on. It is when a man is old—when a man who has once been appreciated and made much of begins to lose his hold—it is then that it becomes a terrible thing. ”

“ He slaved and worked at his trick all through the following day, and I helped him though my heart was heavy with misgivings. Only Marie seemed strangely silent, so much so that I tried to cheer her up. Henri was busy with the electrician, and we were standing alone. She listened to me with a little sad smile on her lips and when I'd finished she laid her hand on my arm.
"'Dear Georges,' she said, 'it's no good, and you know it. The trick is a failure. We're too old, Henri and I, for new things. To-night is the last night, mon ami,' and she seemed to be looking at something I couldn't see. ”

“ After all, in a happy marriage one does not make omelettes in top-hats, and the dinner service reposes on the dresser. Whereas a sunny disposition and a pretty wit, such as is vital to a clown, must be great assets in the home.
"However, it became evident that Marie had eyes for none but Henri. With her own handkerchief she wiped the inside of Monsieur le Maire's hat; with her own hands she cooked the second omelette with the eggs she had so carefully saved out of the hat, and shared it with Henri. ”

“ If she sees us too happy, she steps in and cries 'Halt.' She keeps a book and she adds things up. And if the total is too big she gets angry. Sometimes you pay in instalments, Monsieur, and sometimes in a lump sum down. ”

“ For twenty-five years we have been together all over France, and now ...'
"'The show is broke,' put in the man with the cigar. 'Cut the cackle, Blom. It's not to be wondered at. It's rotten. I watched it last night. It's as dull as ditch-water. You're doing the same futile tricks that you did ten years ago. Why I saw the conjurer—what's his name—Dardot—do that fool stunt with an omelette when I was a boy.'
"Henri Dardot's lips trembled, and Marie put her hand on his arm. ”