rs and judged them as a
connoisseur, thought him not at all bad-looking; she even regretted that
he was not a Frenchman, because in that case he would have made a very
handsome hussar, with whom all the women would assuredly have fallen in
love.

When they were once more within doors they did not know what to do
with themselves. Sharp words even were exchanged apropos of the merest
trifles. The silent dinner was quickly over, and each one went to bed
early in the hope of sleeping, and thus killing time.

They came down next morning with tired faces and irritable tempers; the
women scarcely spoke to Boule de Suif.

A church bell summoned the faithful to a baptism. Boule de Suif had a
child being brought up by peasants at Yvetot. She did not see him once a
year, and never thought of him; but the idea of the child who was about
to be baptized induced a sudden wave of tenderness for her own, and she
insisted on being present at the ceremony.

As soon as she had gone out, the rest of the company looked at one
another and then drew their chairs together; for they realized that they
must decide on some course of action. Loiseau had an inspiration: he
proposed that they should ask the officer to detain Boule de Suif only,
and to let the rest depart on their way.

Monsieur Follenvie was intrusted with this commission, but he returned
to them almost immediately. The German, who knew human nature, had shown
him the door. He intended to keep all the travellers until his condition
had been complied with.

Whereupon Madame Loiseau's vulgar temperament broke bounds.

"We're not going to die of old age here!" she cried. "Since it's that
vixen's trade to behave so with men I don't see that she has any right
to refuse one more than another. I may as well tell you she took any
lovers she could get at Rouen--even coachmen! Yes, indeed, madame--the
coachman at the prefecture! I know it for a fact, for he buys his wine
of us. And now that it is a question of getting us out of a difficulty
she puts on virtuous airs, the drab! For my part, I think this officer
has behaved very well. Why, there were three others of us, any one of
whom he would undoubtedly have preferred. But no, he contents himself
with the girl who is common property. He respects married women. Just
think. He is master here. He had only to say: 'I wish it!' and he might
have taken us by force, with the help of his soldiers."

The two other women shuddered; the eyes of