for, on my life, she was much smitten with you
yesterday?"

"Do you go and fetch her, and tell her I will take her into the country;
that's all you need say; not a word about my having paid you her debt."

"Why not?"

"What's that to you?"

"Oh, nothing; it's no matter to me; I would rather that she still
believed herself in my clutch--"

"Will you hold your tongue, and do as I bid you?"

"Oh, what a cross creetur you are! I pity anybody who is under you.
Well, I'm going, I'm going;" and the ogress went up-stairs.

After a few minutes she came down again.

"Goualeuse would not believe me, and really turned quite crimson when
she knew you were here; and when I told her that I would give her leave
to pass the day in the country, I thought she would have gone
crazy,--for the first time in her life she was inclined to throw her
arms about my neck."

"That was her delight at leaving you."

Fleur-de-Marie entered at this moment, dressed as she was the
over-night, with her gown of brown stuff, her little orange shawl tied
behind her, and her handkerchief of red checks over her head, leaving
only two thick bands of light hair visible. She blushed when she saw
Rodolph, and looked down with a confused air.

"Would you like to pass the day in the country with me, my lass?" asked
Rodolph.

"Very much, indeed, M. Rodolph," said Goualeuse, "since madame gives me
leave."

"Yes, yes, you may go, my little duck, because you're such a good gal.
Come and kiss me afore you go."

And the old beldam offered her bloated lips to Fleur-de-Marie. The poor
girl, overcoming her disgust, bent her forehead to the ogress, but
Rodolph, giving a sudden push with his elbow, shoved the hag back on her
seat, took Fleur-de-Marie's arm, and left the _tapis-franc_, amidst the
loud maledictions of Mother Ponisse.

"Mind, M. Rodolph," said Goualeuse; "the ogress will, perhaps, throw
something at you,--she is very spiteful."

"Oh, don't heed her, my girl. But what's the matter with you? You seem
embarrassed, sad. Are you sorry for having come out with me?"

"Oh, dear, no; but--but--you give me your arm!"

"Well, and what of that?"

"You are a workman, and some one may tell your master that they met you
with me, and harm may come of it; masters do not like their workmen to
be unsteady." And Goualeuse gently removed her arm from that of Rodolph,
adding, "Go on by yourself; I will follow you to the barrier; when we
are once in the fields