thing could better suit
his taste; it is the same occupation, but in the right way."

"Yes, _ma foi!_ it would be still to live in the woods."

"Only he would not have the situation but on condition that he would
marry you, and take you with him."

"I go with Martial?"

"Yes; why, you said you should be so happy to live together in the
depths of the forest. Shouldn't you prefer, instead of the miserable hut
of the poacher, in which you would hide like guilty creatures, to have a
neat little cottage, which you would take care of as the active and
hard-working housekeeper?"

"You are making game of me. Can this be possible?"

"Who knows what may happen? But it's only a castle in the air."

"Ah, if it's only that, all very well!"

"La Louve, I think that I already see you established in your little
home in the depths of the forest, with your husband and two or three
children. Children,--what happiness! Are they not?"

"The children of my man!" exclaimed La Louve, with intense eagerness.
"Ah, yes! They would be dearly loved,--they would!"

"How they would keep you company in your solitude! And, then, when they
grew up they would be able to render you great service: the youngest
would pick up the dead branches for fuel; the eldest would go into the
grass of the forest to watch a cow or two, which they would give you as
a reward for your husband's activity, for as he had been a poacher he
would make a better keeper."

"To be sure; that's true enough. But really your castles in the air are
very amusing. Go on, Goualeuse."

"They would be very much satisfied with your husband, and you would have
some allowances from your master, a poultry-yard, a garden; and, in
fact, you would have to work very hard, La Louve, from morning till
night."

"Oh, if that were all, if I once had my good man near me, I should not
be afraid of work! I have stout arms."

"And you would have plenty to employ them, I will answer for that. There
is so much to do,--so much to do! There is the stable to clean, the
meals to get ready, the clothes to mend; to-day is washing day, next day
there's the bread to bake, or perhaps the house to clean from top to
bottom; and, then, the other keepers would say, 'There is no such
manager as Martial's wife; from the cellar to the garret, in her house,
it is a pattern of cleanliness, and the children are taken such care of!
But then she is so very industrious, Madame Martial.'"

"Really though, La Goua