CHAPTER V A

Two months had scarcely elapsed since the events we have just related, when one morning the abbé, who was still in bed, was awakened by a rough voice calling “Get up, there lust when he was hurriedly dressin: himself the door opened and the young soldier, accompanied by the farmer who would not let him go, burst

RETRANSLATION EXERCISES 81

into the room. “You ought to have made a horse soldier of our young friend,” said the farmer. ‘ Just fancy, as I was showing him my new horse, which nobody but myself can ride, he leapt on his back and was oon far away. We have taken the horse back to the stable ; and now let us walk as far as the village tavern, for Tam dying of thirst, and I should like to drink to his return from the war. Besides, we can look for the forage-cap which fell by the way when he was riding full speed. My daughter will wonder what has become of us if we do not return in time for breakfast.”

On their return from the village famishing they found the cloth laid, but breakfast was not ready yet, and Denise was in the kitchen. Daniel, standing near the open window, was brushing the dust from his clothes when she appeared for the first time at the door. At table the young soldier happened to be placed beside Denise, when he broke a dish that was being handed to him. This gave his young hostess an opportunity of saying something. “Never mind,” she said, “it was a cracked one anyway. We have plenty more.” He blushed, stammered a few words of apology, then remained silent. After the dessert, however, the young people had grown quite intimate, and were chatting away as if they had known each other for a long time.

Yesterday afternoon my guest and I were out shooting quails in the stubbles, and the abbé was quietly reading his prayer-book under the porch, when a young man driving a gig entered the farmyard and st pped a few paces from the front door. Giving his name, he asked the abbé if I were at home. He seemed to give ish of relief when he heard that I was out, but the

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