Doubtful But Strangely Excited

Terence stomps into the saints' kitchen.

How was the lesson? asks Saint Méen.

I learned EVERYthing, says Terence.

Yet you do not look happy, says Saint Méen.

BECAUSE, says Terence, I didn't get a certificate.

Belle comes in. 

Mmm! says Belle, sniffing. What's for lunch? It smells delicious!

A special lunch treat! says Saint Maclou, looking up from the oven.

Inside the oven the special lunch treat is nicely browning.

I hear Terence didn't get a certificate, says Saint Méen.

Yes, says Belle. Just because he was lifted off instead of dismounting.

Saint Méen looks at Terence.

Could you have dismounted? asks Saint Méen.

Yes, says Terence. As soon as I got unstiffened. 

Madame Ponty is really strict, says Belle. I think Terence was overwhelmed with instructions.

Yes, says Terence. And now I'm overwhelmed with not having a certificate.

We could make you a certificate, says Saint Maclou. How would that do?

Terence doesn't think it would do.

That would be nice, says Belle. But it wouldn't be the same. What's that you're cooking?

Duchesse potatoes, says Saint Maclou. They should almost be ready.

He opens the oven again. They are ready!

He pulls out the tray, using a tea towel, and sets it down on the table.

Yummy! says Belle. It's years since I had duchesse potatoes.

What are they? asks Terence. 

Mashed potatoes piped into little frilly mounds, and then browned, says Belle. 

Terence has a closer look at the duchesse potatoes.

Potatoes again. Not that yummy.

Can I go outside? asks Terence.

Sure, says Belle. I'll bring you a drink, in a minute.

Terence goes outside. Roo-kai is waiting.

You've got a certificate, says Terence.

Yes, I got one for spying, says Roo-kai.

So I should get one for riding a pony, says Terence. 

I know, says Roo-kai. But there's not much we can do about it.

We could sneak into Madame Ponty's house at night and take one, says Terence.

What good would that do? asks Roo-kai.

Then I'd have one, says Terence.

It wouldn't have your name on it, says Roo-kai. 

So what? says Terence. We could fix that later.

Roo-kai is doubtful about one or two aspects of Terence plan, but also strangely excited.

It brings back memories of the time he spied on the unfinished Collins Class Type 471 French submarine, with Baby Pierre, back in Adelaide, and stole the French instructions for drilling a periscope hole, for which action he received his Chevalier des Clandestines medal.

All right, says Roo-kai. We'll do it.