ction blamable in itself is often
rendered meritorious by the impulse which inspires it."

And she continued in the same strain, unraveling the intricacies of the
will of the Almighty, predicting His decisions, making Him interest
Himself in matters which, of a truth, did not concern Him at all.

All this was skillfully and discreetly wrapped up, but each word of the
pious woman in the big white cap made a breach in the indignant
resistance of the courtesan. The conversation then glancing off
slightly, the woman of the pendent rosaries went on to speak of the
religious houses of her Order, of her superior, of herself and her
fragile little companion, her dear little Sister St. Nicephora. They
had been sent for to Havre to nurse the hundreds of soldiers there down
with small-pox. She described the condition of these poor wretches, gave
details of their disorder; and while they were thus stopped upon the
road by the whim of this Prussian, many French soldiers might die whom
perhaps they could have saved. That was her specialty--nursing soldiers.
She had been in the Crimea, in Italy, in Austria; and relating her
campaigns, she suddenly revealed herself as one of those Sisters of the
fife and drum who seem made for following the camp, picking up the
wounded in the thick of battle, and better than any officer for quelling
with a word the great hulking undisciplined recruits--a regular Sister
Rataplan, her ravaged face all riddled with pits, calling up an image of
the devastations of war.

No one spoke after her for fear of spoiling the excellent effect.

Immediately after dinner they hurried to their rooms, not to reappear
till pretty late the next morning.

Luncheon passed off quietly. They allowed the seed sown yesterday time
to grow and bear fruit.

In the afternoon the Countess proposed a walk, whereupon the Count,
following the preconcerted arrangement, took Boule de Suif's arm and
fell behind with her a little. He adopted that familiar, paternal,
somewhat contemptuous tone which elderly men affect towards such girls,
calling her "my dear child," treating her from the height of his social
position and indisputable respectability.

He came to the point without further preamble. "So you prefer to keep us
here exposed like yourself to all the violence which must inevitably
follow a check to the Prussian arms, rather than consent to accord one
of those favors you have so often dispensed in your time?"

Boule de Sui