ent up the steps, following him in.

"What did you do at Saint-Pipoy?" he asked, turning to look at her.

She told him in what capacity M. Vulfran had employed her.

"Monsieur Fabry then had been messing up things?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean--you don't know? Are you a silly?"

"Maybe I am."

"You're not, and you know it; and if you don't reply it's because you
don't want to. Don't forget who is talking to you; do you know what I am
here?"

"Yes, the foreman."

"That means the master. And as your master you do as I tell you. I am
going to know all. Those who don't obey I fire! Remember that!"

This was indeed the man whom she had heard the factory girls talking
about when she had slept in that terrible room at Mother Francoise's.
The tyrant who wanted to be everything in the works, not only at
Maraucourt, but at Saint-Pipoy, at Bacourt, at Flexelles, everywhere,
and who would employ any means to uphold his authority, even disputing
it with that of Monsieur Vulfran's.

"I ask you what Monsieur Fabry has been doing?" he asked, lowering his
voice.

"I cannot tell you because I do not know myself. But I can tell you what
observations Monsieur Vulfran had me interpret for the machinists."

She repeated what she had had to tell the men without omitting a single
thing.

"Is that all?"

"That is all."

"Did Monsieur Vulfran make you translate his letters?"

"No, he did not. I only read some articles from the 'Dundee News' and a
little paper all through; it was called the 'Dundee Trades Report
Association.'"

"You know if you don't tell me the truth, all the truth, I'll get it
pretty quick, and then ... Ouste! off you go."

"Why should I not speak the truth?" asked Perrine.

"It's up to you to do so," he retorted. "I've warned you ... remember."

"I'll remember," said Perrine, "I assure you."

"Very good. Now go and sit down on that bench over there. If the boss
really needs you he'll remember that he told you to come here this
morning. He is busy talking to some of his men now."

She sat on the bench for almost an hour, not daring to move so long as
Talouel was near. What a dreadful man! How afraid she was of him! But it
would never do to let him see that she was afraid. He wanted her to spy
on her employer, and then tell him what was in the letters that she
translated for him!

This indeed might well scare her, yet there was something to be pleased
about. Talouel evidently thought that