e up his mind to speak. "It's not my
fault, that's sure! Oh! if you joined a regiment we should see a few
things."

They had quite forgotten where they were; everything had vanished--the
room, Helene and Jeanne, who was still gathering the apples together.
With hands folded over her apron, the maid stood upright in front of
the little soldier.

"Is everything all right down there?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, excepting Guignard's cow is ill. The veterinary surgeon came
and said she'd got the dropsy."

"If she's got the dropsy, she's done for. Excepting that, is
everything all right?"

"Yes, yes! The village constable has broken his arm. Old Canivet's
dead. And, by the way, his reverence lost his purse with thirty sous
in it as he was a-coming back from Grandval. But otherwise, things are
all right."

Then silence fell on them, and they looked at one another with
sparkling eyes, their compressed lips slowly making an amorous
grimace. This, indeed, must have been the manner in which they
expressed their love, for they had not even stretched out their hands
in greeting. Rosalie, however, all at once ceased her contemplation,
and began to lament at sight of the vegetables on the floor. Such a
nice mess! and it was he who had caused it all! Madame ought to have
made him wait on the stairs! Scolding away as fast as she could, she
dropped on her knees and began putting the apples, onions, and
cauliflowers into the basket again, much to the disgust of Jeanne, who
would fain have done it all herself. And as she turned, with the
object of betaking herself into her kitchen, never deigning another
look in Zephyrin's direction, Helene, conciliated by the healthy
tranquillity of the lovers, stopped her to say:

"Listen a moment, my girl. Your aunt has asked me to allow this young
man to come and see you on Sundays. He will come in the afternoon, and
you will try not to let your work fall behind too much."

Rosalie paused, merely turning her head. Though she was well pleased,
she preserved her doleful air.

"Oh, madame, he will be such a bother," she declared. But at the same
time she glanced over her shoulder at Zephyrin, and again made an
affectionate grimace at him. The little soldier remained for a minute
stock-still, his mouth agape from ear to ear with its silent laugh.
Then he retired backwards, with his cap against his heart as he
thanked Helene profusely. The door had been shut upon him, when on the
landing he still co