Little Pierre (Volume 29)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1920. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXI THE PAPAGAY - HEN she came in with the coffee, old Melanie informed us that the Comtesse Michaud's parrot had escaped. The people thought they could see it on M. Bellaguet's roof. I got up from the table and rushed to the window. In the courtyard a group, consisting of the concierge and a few domestics, were gazing upwards and pointing towards the gutter round the roof. My godfather, coffee-cup in hand, followed me to the window and asked where the popinjay was. There, said I, pointing upwards like the people in the yard. But my godfather could not see it, and I could not show it him because I could not see it myself, and merely affirmed its presence there on the authority of others. And you, Madame Noziere, can you see the papagay? asked my godfather. The papagay? The papagay or the papegaut? The papagay? The papagay, repeated by godfather laughing. His laughter sounded like little rippling bells and made his braces tinkle on his green silk waistcoat. His gaiety was infectious, and I kept on laughing and repeating, without knowing what I was saying: The papagay, the papagayl But my dear mamma, being of a prudent disposition, forbore to smile until my father informed her that the old name for the parrot was papagay or popingay. Gay as a papagay, as Rabelais says, said my godfather, by way of illustration. At the name of Rabelais, which I then heard for the first time, I burst into fits of laughter, I don't know why--stupidity, silliness, tomfoolery, I suppose, for it certainly was not from any presentiment, intuition, or revelation of the sublime buffoonery, the merry whimsicality, the folly wiser than wisdom, that lies concealed beneath that name. Nevertheless, it cannot be gainsaid that it was a becoming manner in which to salute th...