CHAPTER III

Having reached the summit of the hill towards midnight, the abbé was able to make out the sharp pointed roofs of the farm bathed in the soft light of the moon. \lthough he had walked more than five leagues he did not feel tired. and, as he had no desire to stop in the village, he pushed on to the farm which was still half an

hours walk farther on. ‘The main entrance standing wide open, he passed through the courtyard and knocked mn the shutters of a room on the ground-floor. ‘Who

there?” came the voice of some one only half awake. | am rather late, open quickly.” A ray of light filtered tor a moment through the shutters, then disappeared.

Soon the door opened and a tall bearded figure, having allowed the newcomer to enter, caretully bolted the door and led him into the kitchen,

“Put the lamp on the table and make yourself at home,” the farmer said, after shaking the visitor’s hand. “Wait a moment. I want to get you some cold meat, The little girl is sleeping, so we must not make a noise for fear she wakens up. You are not a bit changed,” he went on, examining his guest closely,

Walking on tip-toe, he reappeared carrying a gamepie and a bottle of claret. “This will give you strength after your journey. When you have had something to eat I shall show you your room, which is pretty high up, but you asked me to let you have the turret-chamber, Your room is quite ready ; you may ascend by the spiral staircase whenever you like. What a surprise the little one will have when she gets up. Good-night. I hope you'll sleep well. We shall see her in the morning,”

Although the little girl was somewhat thin and not exactly pretty, yet there was a certain charm about her. Her auburn hair matched very well her pale rose complexion, which was slightly burnt by the sun. Her large deep-blue eyes were both soft and brilliant, lending an air of intelligence to a countenance that was full of energy, although chastened by a gentle, child-like Smile. What struck her cousin at first was that. in spite of appearances, she possessed an iron will. which her father was not the only one to perceive. Without being sad, she was never merry, and this strange mixture of wild ness and gentleness terrified her cousin. for he wondered if he should succeed in taming a young savage who had

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RETRANSLATION EXERCISES 79

never been to school, and who already knew how to change her father’s wrath into caresses.