SCENE XVIII

A lady was one day sprinkling her garden when she saw a little girl on the road weeping. She went out and spoke to her, but the child seemed preoccupied, and at first did not hear her. The lady took her by the hand and asked her what was the matter. The little girl replied that her mother was ill, and that in the summer she had to dance and sell bouquets to get a little money. The lady at once went into the house, took a basket with a bottle of wine in it, and set out with the child to see the sick woman.

She found her in a small room without much in it. The woman was tall and fine-looking, and had an intelligent air. The lady saw that she could not live long, and she went to see her every day. It was her custom to visit poor sick people.

One day when the lady came in, the woman seemed to be sleeping. She approached her gently in such a way that she could see her without disturbing her, and she saw that she was dead. The little girl wept when she heard this, but the kind-hearted lady took her home with her, and she was soon quite happy.