Upon her return she
announced that a load of live-stock from southern France would
soon arrive at the nearest railroad station, five miles away.
"It's going to be a regular menagerie," said Mademoiselle, when
she told Mother Meraut about it. "There will be two more cows,
two pigs, a pair of goats, ten pairs of rabbits, and sixty
fowls."
"Mercy upon us!" cried Mother Meraut. "Where in the world can we
put them all? Must we move out of our apartment to admit the
cows?"
"No," laughed Mademoiselle, "we must find another way to take
care of them. The cows can stay out of doors now, and there is
grass to feed them and the goats. They can all be tethered by
ropes, if necessary, but we must find a secure place to keep the
pigs and the rabbits, and the chicken-house must be mended and
put in order for the fowls."
"But Madame Corbeille now resides in the chicken-house. What will
become of her and her children?" cried Mother Meraut.
"Easy enough," said Mademoiselle; "there is still room in your
stable, is there not? For example, there is the granary! It will
do excellently for the Corbeilles. Pierre and Pierrette will help
build the rabbit-hutch, I know, and there we are, all provided
for!"
So it was arranged, and that afternoon another family came to
live under the same roof with the Merauts. Grandpere, with his
new hammer and some nails, mended the chicken-house, and then
helped Pierre and Pierrette build enclosures for the rabbits and
pigs out of stones and rubble from the fallen walls.
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