he field,
but he would go and tell him.

He soon appeared. He was an ill-looking little man, with a red beard and
small, restless eyes.

Although M. Fougeroux professed to despise the nobility and the clergy,
the hope of driving a good bargain made him obsequious to Louis. He
insisted upon ushering his visitor into "the parlor," with may bows and
repetitions of "M. the marquis."

Upon entering the room, he roughly ordered an old woman, who was
crouching over some dying embers, to make haste and bring some wine for
M. the marquis of Clameran.

At this name, the old woman started as if she had received an electric
shock. She opened her mouth to say something, but a look from her tyrant
froze the words upon her lips. With a frightened air she hobbled out to
obey his orders, and in a few minutes returned with a bottle of wine and
three glasses.

Then she resumed her seat by the fire, and kept her eyes fastened upon
the marquis.

Could this really be the merry, pretty Mihonne, who had been the
confidant of the little fairy of Verberie?

Valentine herself would never have recognized this poor, shrivelled,
emaciated old woman.

Only those who are familiar with country life know what hard work and
worry can do to make a woman old.

The bargain, meanwhile, was being discussed between Joseph and
Fougeroux, who offered a ridiculously small sum for the chateau, saying
that he would only buy it to tear down, and sell the materials. Joseph
enumerated the beams, joists, ashlars, and the iron-work, and volubly
praised the old domain.

As for Mihonne, the presence of the marquis had a wonderful effect upon
her.

If the faithful servant had hitherto never breathed the secret confided
to her probity, it was none the less heavy for her to bear.

After marrying, and being so harshly treated that she daily prayed for
death to come to her relief, she began to blame everybody but herself
for her misfortunes.

Weakly superstitious, she traced back the origin of her sorrows to the
day when she took the oath on the holy gospel during mass.

Her constant prayers that God would send her a child to soothe her
wounded heart, being unanswered, she was convinced that she was cursed
with barrenness for having assisted in the abandonment of an innocent,
helpless babe.

She often thought, that by revealing everything, she could appease the
wrath of Heaven, and once more enjoy a happy home. Nothing but her
love for Valentine gave her