me, Monsieur, think; it would be very nice to
have some ladies, I mean to say, some married couples! I know nothing
about your parishioners. The baker and his wife, the grocer,
the--the--the--watchmaker--the--shoemaker--the--the chemist with his
wife. We have a good spread, and plenty of wine, and we should be
enchanted to leave pleasant recollections of ourselves behind us with
the people here.'

"The priest thought again for a long time and then said resolutely:
'No, there is nobody.'

"I began to laugh. 'By Jove, Monsieur le Cure, it is very vexing not to
have an Epiphany queen, for we have the bean. Come, think. Is there not
a married mayor, or a married deputy-mayor, or a married municipal
councilor, or schoolmaster?'

"'No all the ladies have gone away.'

"'What, is there not in the whole place some good tradesman's wife with
her good tradesman, to whom we might give this pleasure, for it would
be a pleasure to them, a great pleasure under present circumstances?'

"But suddenly the cure began to laugh, and he laughed so violently that
he fairly shook, and exclaimed: 'Ha! ha! ha! I have got what you want,
yes. I have got what you want! Ha! ha! ha! We will laugh and enjoy
ourselves, my children, we will have some fun. How pleased the ladies
will be, I say, how delighted they will be. Ha! ha! Where are you
staying?'

"I described the house, and he understood where it was. 'Very good,' he
said. 'It belongs to Monsieur Bertin-Lavaille. I will be there in half
an hour, with four ladies. Ha! ha! ha! four ladies!'

"He went out with me, still laughing, and left me, repeating: 'That is
capital; in half an hour at Bertin-Lavaille's house.'

"I returned quickly, very much astonished and very much puzzled.
'Covers for how many?' Marchas asked, as soon as he saw me.

"'Eleven. There are six of us hussars besides the priest and four
ladies.'

"He was thunderstruck, and I triumphant, and he repeated 'Four ladies!
Did you say, four ladies?'

"'I said four women.'

"'Real women?'

"'Real women.'

"'Well, accept my compliments!'

"'I will, for I deserve them.'

"He got out of his armchair, opened the door, and I saw a beautiful,
white tablecloth on a long table, round which three hussars in blue
aprons were setting out the plates and glasses. 'There are some women
coming!' Marchas cried. And the three men began to dance and to cheer
with all their might.

"Everything was ready, and we were waiting. We waited