Meaulnes never said anything, but it was because of him that repeatedly one chatterbox or another, making of himself the centre of the group, and taking in turn each of his noisily approving friends as witness, would relate some long story of poaching, which the others followed with gaping mouths and inward laughter.
Meaulnes ne disait rien ; mais c’était pour lui qu’à chaque instant l’un des plus bavards s’avançait au milieu du groupe, et, prenant à témoin tour à tour chacun de ses compagnons, qui l’approuvaient bruyamment, racontait quelque longue histoire de maraude, que tous les autres suivaient, le bec ouvert, en riant silencieusement.