aid
that it was no wonder that Madame was disgusted, and scolded us for
taking her into the feast. Jack took quite a different view of the
matter.

"The feast's very good fun in its way," said he; "and Madame only wants
_tackling_. I'll tackle her."

"Nonsense!" said Clement.

"I bet you a shilling I take her through every mortal thing this
afternoon," said Jack.

"You've cheek enough," retorted his elder brother.

But after luncheon, when Madame was again in her room, Jack came to me
with a nosegay he had gathered, to beg me to arrange it properly, and
put a paper frill round it. With some grass and fern-leaves, I made a
tasteful bouquet, and added a frill, to Jack's entire satisfaction. He
took it up-stairs, and we heard him knock at Madame's door. After a
pause ("I'm sure she's crying again!" said Eleanor) Madame came out, and
a warm discussion began between them, of which we only heard fragments.
Madame's voice, as the shrillest, was most audible, and it rose into
distinctness as she exclaimed, "Anything soh dirrty, soh meean, soh
folgaire, I nevaire saw."

Again the discussion proceeded, and we only caught a few of Jack's
arguments about "customs of the country," "for the fun of it," etc.

"Fun?" said Madame.

"For a joke," said Jack.

"_Ah, c'est vrai_, for the choke," she said.

"And _avec moi_," Jack continued. "There's French for you, Madame! Come
along!"

Madame laughed.

"She'll go," said Eleanor.

"_Eh bien!_" Madame cried gaily. "For the choke. _Avec vous, Monsieur
Jack._ Ha! ha! _Allons!_ Come along!"

"Link, Madame," said Jack, as they came down-stairs, Madame smarter than
ever, and bouquet in hand.

"Mais _link_? What is this?" said she.

"Take my arm," said Jack. "I'll treat you to everything."

"Mais _treat_? What is that?" said Madame, whose beaming good-humour
only expanded the more when Jack explained that it was a pecuniary
attention shown by rustic swains to their "young women."

As Clement came into the hall he met Madame hanging on Jack's arm, and
absolutely radiant.

"You're not going into that beastly place again?" said he.

"For the choke, Monsieur Clement. _Ah, oui!_ And with Monsieur Jack."

"You may as well come, Clem," said Eleanor, and we followed, laughing.

Madame had now no time for discontent. Jack held her fast. He gave her
gingerbread at one stall, and gingerbeer at another, and cracked nuts
for her all along. He vowed that the oyster-shells were flowe