, and Jack was such a
first-class 'hand,' that any prejudices which might have cropped up died
a natural death, and he never lacked employment.

'Look at our two old gossips!' he laughed, as he saw Mere Bricolin
comfortably seated on the broad settle near the fire. He often wondered
how they found so much to talk about, these two old dames.

Mere Bricolin's surprise as Estelle took off her wraps brought another
smile to his face. He felt proud of his little flotsam from the sea when
the Frenchwoman said, 'And this, M. le Marin, is the little Mademoiselle
you picked up! The sea has its pearls, my friend.'

Estelle was touched. To her own surprise, as well as that of her
friends, she understood and answered in French as well as any little
Parisian. How she learnt it she was still unable to say, but she had not
spoken French with her former nurses and governess from Paris in vain.
It was a relief to all parties that she was not shut out from the
conversation. The chief pleasure to good Mrs. Wright was, however, that
the purity of the accent and diction proved she was of gentle training,
at all events. She smiled and nodded approvingly.

'Will you tell me about the fair?' said the little girl, seating herself
on the settle by Mere Bricolin's side.

The old dame nodded, her black eyes twinkling. Estelle's blue ones grew
rounder and rounder as she heard of the wonders of the
sword-swallowers, the celebrated fleas which could drive a coach, of
elephants that fired guns, of the great circus of horses; and--dearest
of all to the peasant heart--the dancing at the Fontaine des Eaux;
dancing which was to begin on the eve of the _fete_, and to be continued
on the night itself till break of day.

'And will you dance, Mademoiselle?' asked Mere Bricolin, smiling. 'There
will be plenty of people ready---- '

'Never!' exclaimed Jack, shortly. The very idea annoyed him.

'I hope to see it _all_,' said Estelle, eagerly. 'But I'm not strong
enough to dance. I would rather look on.'

'You are right, Mademoiselle. You would not care to dance either. Our
lads are good, but they are rough. But it is a pretty sight even to me,
who am old, and must be ready to leave this world whenever it shall
please Heaven. But M. le Cure says it is not wrong, M. Jack. All these
things are for our ease and pleasure, and the next day we work again.'

'I dare say you are right, Madame,' returned Jack. 'There's no doubt
that people enjoy themselves. My