g to chop the
wood and pump the water.

Her eyesight grew dim. She did not open the shutters after that.
Many years passed. But the house did not sell or rent. Fearing
that she would be put out, Felicite did not ask for repairs. The
laths of the roof were rotting away, and during one whole winter
her bolster was wet. After Easter she spit blood.

Then Mother Simon went for a doctor. Felicite wished to know what
her complaint was. But, being too deaf to hear, she caught only
one word: "Pneumonia." She was familiar with it and gently
answered:--"Ah! like Madame," thinking it quite natural that she
should follow her mistress.

The time for the altars in the street drew near.

The first one was always erected at the foot of the hill, the
second in front of the post-office, and the third in the middle of
the street. This position occasioned some rivalry among the women
and they finally decided upon Madame Aubain's yard.

Felicite's fever grew worse. She was sorry that she could not do
anything for the altar. If she could, at least, have contributed
something toward it! Then she thought of the parrot. Her
neighbours objected that it would not be proper. But the cure gave
his consent and she was so grateful for it that she begged him to
accept after her death, her only treasure, Loulou. From Tuesday
until Saturday, the day before the event, she coughed more
frequently. In the evening her face was contracted, her lips stuck
to her gums and she began to vomit; and on the following day, she
felt so low that she called for a priest.

Three neighbours surrounded her when the dominie administered the
Extreme Unction. Afterwards she said that she wished to speak to
Fabu.

He arrived in his Sunday clothes, very ill at ease among the
funereal surroundings.

"Forgive me," she said, making an effort to extend her arm, "I
believed it was you who killed him!"

What did such accusations mean? Suspect a man like him of murder!
And Fabu became excited and was about to make trouble.

"Don't you see she is not in her right mind?"

From time to time Felicite spoke to shadows. The women left her
and Mother Simon sat down to breakfast.

A little later, she took Loulou and holding him up to Felicite:

"Say good-bye to him, now!" she commanded.

Although he was not a corpse, he was eaten up by worms; one of his
wings was broken and the wadding was coming out of his body. But
Felicite was blind now, and she took him and laid him a