Suddenly M. Hennebeau recollected the lunch; and he was about to send the coachman to tell the Grégoires that the party had been put off, when a certain hesitation and lack of will stopped him--the man who in a few brief phrases had just made military preparations for a field of battle.
Tout d'un coup, M. Hennebeau songea au déjeuner; et il allait envoyer le cocher avertir les Grégoire que la partie était remise, lorsqu'une hésitation, un manque de volonté l'arreta, lui qui venait, en quelques phrases breves, de préparer militairement son champ de bataille.