fishing, he met Ellenor in a shady lane. She had been milking
and carried on her arm the large shining can which it was her pride
to keep like silver.

"What's the matter, Ellenor?" he said at once, "you look as white as
death! Is it you are ill?"

She laughed mockingly.

"Have you ever known me to be ill! Surely this warm weather is
enough to make one look white! And far from being ill, I am much
amused at what I have seen just now. Will I tell you about it?"

"My good, yes, tell me, I am only too pleased if you talk to me.
Shall we go up to Les Casquets together? I was going there to see
your father."

As they walked side by side she began to speak rapidly.

"Well, this amusing thing I have seen! Listen! I was at the top of
the valley that leads to Orvilliere Farm this morning when, all at
once, I saw a cart coming along. In it was a big chest made of oak
and carved all over; and besides there was a box covered with
leather and all over brass nails. Of course one knew at once what
that meant! In the chest and in the box there was the linen for the
house of some woman who was soon to be married, and it was being
taken to the house of the bridegroom. Sure enough, it seems I was
right, for tied to the cart behind was the cow the father of the
bride would give! Then, close to the cart, on the side, there was a
girl I knew. She was the nearest woman relation of Blaisette Simon,
and she was carrying a looking glass. I knew what all those things
meant--a marriage soon to take place. So I looked again, and I saw
that the man who was leading the cart was Dominic Le Mierre, the
master of Orvilliere, and he turned down the hill that leads to the
farm. He didn't see me--him--he was chatting and laughing with the
girl cousin of Blaisette, and telling her not to let the looking
glass fall, or that would be bad luck. Now, Perrin Corbet, tell me,
what do you think all that means?"

She breathed quickly and turned her face away from him.

"Means!" echoed the fisherman, "of course it means only one thing,
that there will soon be a wedding, that the bride will be Blaisette
Simon and the bridegroom will be Dominic Le Mierre. But why do you
ask me? You said you knew yourself what it meant when you saw the
chest in the cart!"

"Bah, don't be so stupid and tease me like that! There might be some
mistake. And what do I care if she does marry him?"

"I wonder you haven't heard it talked of before, Ellenor, for all
Torteval has