I can still hear the noise of the trunks on the staircase and the blowing of papa's nose, which seemed to indicate that he was weeping. In embracing me, the poor man said: "Good courage!" as if I were going to have a tooth pulled. As for mamma, she was a fountain. The phrase she was a fountain is figurative language meaning that her mother was .

imposingly large
crying profusely
talking incessantly
soaking wet