A Trip to France

Why are the members of the family assembled around the table? Undoubtedly, something strange is going to happen. How do you know that? Raise your1 eyes. Don't you notice that your parents are looking slyly at each other this evening? They are not making signs at each other. They are waiting for the maid.

Where is she? I cannot explain why she doesn't pick up the crumbs of bread that fell on the tablecloth. Don't you hear her in the kitchen now ? She will soon come in for she has drunk her coffee. Your father will not wait. He will speak to us when he finds2 a favorable moment. He is going to push back his chair now. We know that the secret will soon be revealed.

Well ! We notice that you are in very good humor this evening. I shall soon tell you the reason for it. For3 some time your mother has been looking for a way to perform a family duty. And in short, what is she going to do? She wants to know if you wish to travel in France this summer. It seems to me that that would suit us better than a trip in any other part of the world. We could visit Paris, and then our uncle's grave.

Do you know where he is buried? They4 told us that the cemetery is near a little village. Wasn't he killed in a battle

1 Use the definite article.

2 See Grammar Review, note to sentence 2 of Exercise VIII.

3 See Grammar Review, Section 80. 4 Use on.

that took place in the month of September? Yes, in the battle of Saint-Mihiel. It will soon be1 five years since2 he fell in that battle and he is still lying in his grave in France.

Your mother has shed many tears since his death. If she had not been sick, we should have gone to visit his grave. However, it is impossible for her to go now. Then, we wish you to go. If she went, the great wound that his death caused might open again. I wish to avoid that at any cost. Therefore, we wish with all our heart that his nephews should perform3 this duty.