La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 3 of the Intermediate 2 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

“Tu as passé une bonne journée, chérie?” a demandé Jean-Louis. “Comment va Hervé?”

J’étais dans la cuisine, en préparant le dîner pour la famille.

“Il va très bien, merci, oui. On est allé au Jardin des Tuileries pour se promener avec les enfants. C’était très chouette. Anouk a adoré voir ‘le grand château’ et les petits bateaux sur le bassin, bien sûr. Elle a décidé qu’elle veut un bateau pour Noël.”

Jean-Louis a rigolé et m’a donné un bisou sur la joue. “C’est une petite fille qui sait ce qu’elle veut non ? Comme sa mère,” il a taquiné.

J’ai souri. Jean-Louis était de bonne humeur ce soir, et je voulais profiter du moment. C’était rare de nos jours, malheureusement.

“Bon, à table! Le dîner est prêt !” j’ai crié. “Anouk, viens s’il te plaît. On va manger.”

“Oui, maman, j’arrive,” elle a répondu.

Installés à la table, j’ai commencé à servir la blanquette de veau. ”Miam, miam, maman ! J’adore ça.” Anouk a dit.

Jean-Louis regardait Anouk avec affection. “Tu as passé une bonne journée avec ton Tonton Hervé, ma petite ?”

“Oui Papa, j’ai vu les bateaux. Tonton a dit que Père Noël a de petits bateaux dans son stock.”

“Ah bon ? Tu vas devoir écrire ta liste bientôt, ma petite puce,” a répondu Jean-Louis avec un grand sourire. “Hervé et Amina ont des plans pour les vacances, Leïla ?” a demandé Jean-Louis, en versant du vin pour moi.

“Oui, en fait, ils pensent aller en Angleterre pour voir Robert et Beth, les parents de Michael. Tu te rappelles quand Amina a fait un échange en Angleterre ?”

“Ah oui, je me rappelle, c’est vrai. Ils habitent à Londres, non ?”

“À Bath,” j’ai corrigé.

“Maman, comment Père Noël va venir à Bath avec mes bateaux ?”

“Pardon ?” j’ai dit, soudainement nerveuse.

“De quoi tu parles, Anouk ?” a demandé Jean-Louis. Il ne souriait plus.

“Maman a dit qu’on va en Angleterre pour voir La Reine,” elle a dit.

“Tu as dit ça, Leïla?” a demandé Jean-Louis.

“Anouk, arrête! Je n’ai pas du tout dit ça !” j’ai dit, gênée. “En fait, quand Anouk a vu Le Louvre, elle m’a demandé s’il y avait des princesses qui y habitaient. Alors quand Hervé racontait ses plans pour leur voyage, j’ai dit à Anouk qu’il n’y a plus de princesses en France mais qu’en Angleterre il y a une reine. C’est tout !”

“Mais Maman, on peut partir avec Tonton et Tati dans l’avion pour voir La Reine ?” Anouk a demandé, avec de grands yeux.

“Malheureusement…”, j’ai commencé mais Jean-Louis a interrompu.

“Je crois que c’est une bonne idée, ma puce ! Aller voir La Reine, quelle aventure !”

Et là, c’était moi qui avait de grands yeux.

“Did you have a good day, darling?” asked Jean-Louis. “How’s Hervé going?”

I was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the family.

“He’s going really well, thank you. We went to the Tuileries Gardens to have a walk with the children. It was really great. Anouk adored seeing ‘the big castle’ and the little boats on the pond, of course. She has decided that she wants a boat for Christmas.”

Jean-Louis laughed and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “She’s a little girl who knows what she wants, isn’t she? Like her mother,” he teased.

I smiled. Jean-Louis was in a good mood this evening, and I wanted to make the most of the moment. It was rare these days, unfortunately.

“Right, everyone at the table. Dinner is ready!” I cried. “Anouk, come please. We’re going to eat.”

“Yes, Mum, I’m coming,” she responded.

Settled in at the table, I started to serve the blanquette de veau.

“Yum, yum, Mum! I love this,” Anouk said.

Jean-Louis looked at Anouk with affection. “Did you have a good day with your Uncle Hervé, little one?”

“Yes, Dad, I saw the boats. Uncle said that Father Christmas has boats in his stock.”

“Oh really? You’re going to have to write your list soon, my little flea,” responded Jean-Louis with a big smile. “Do Hervé and Amina have plans for the holidays, Leïla?” asked Jean-Louis, while pouring me some wine.

“Yes, in fact, they’re thinking of going to England to see Robert and Beth, Michael’s parents. Do you remember when Amina did an exchange in England?”

“Oh yes, I remember, that’s right. They live in London, don’t they?”

“In Bath,” I corrected.

“Mum, how is Father Christmas going to come to Bath with my boats?”

“Pardon?” I said, suddenly nervous.

“What are you talking about, Anouk?” asked Jean-Louis. He wasn’t smiling anymore.

“Mum said that we’re going to England to see The Queen,” she said.

“Did you say that, Leïla?” asked Jean-Louis.

“Anouk, stop! I didn’t say that at all!” I said, embarrassed. “In fact, when Anouk saw The Louvre, she asked me if there were any princesses who lived there. So when Hervé was talking about his plans for their trip, I said to Anouk that there were no more princesses in France but that in England there was a queen. That’s all!”

“But Mum, can we go with Uncle and Aunty in the plane to see The Queen?” Anouk asked, with wide eyes.

”Unfortunately…” I started, but Jean-Louis interrupted.

”I think that that’s a good idea, my little flea! Going to see The Queen, what an adventure!”

And then, it was me who had wide eyes.