Part 22 (1/2)

”Yes, ten thousand cartridges! And terribly hungry too! My stomach doesn't thrive on adventures. Still, yours have amused me very much; but since you stopped talking, I feel that I need something solid.”

”Do you want me to begin again?”

”No, no! I want you to come with me.”

”But where shall we go?”

”Come on; forward!”

Jacques and his comrade started across the fields. They could not see very clearly and they did not know which direction to take. Jacques did not say a word, Sans-Souci sang and swore alternately, frequently cursing the hedges and bushes which barred their path. At last, after walking for an hour, they spied a light.

”Forward toward the light!” said Sans-Souci, doubling his pace; ”they must give us some supper.”

”Have you any money, Sans-Souci?”

”Not a sou; and you?”

”No more than you.”

”No matter, let us go on all the same.”

They approached the building from which the light came; it seemed to be large enough for a farm-house, but it was too dark to distinguish objects plainly. Sans-Souci felt his way forward and began to knock with all the strength of his feet and hands at the first door that he found.

In vain did Jacques urge him to make less noise; Sans-Souci was dying of hunger, and he listened to nothing but his stomach, which shouted as loud as himself.

At last two dogs that were prowling about the yard answered the uproar that he made; their barking awoke the cows, which began to low, and the donkeys, which began to bray; there was an infernal hurly-burly, in the midst of which the voice of a woman, who had come to a window, had difficulty in making itself heard.

”Who's that? What do you want? answer!”

”Ah! ten thousand cannonades! I am not mistaken; it's her, it's my brunette!--Didn't I tell you, Jacques, that we should get a supper; we are at her farm. Open, my duck, open quick! Love and hunger bring me back to you!”

”What? can it be him?”

”Yes, yes! It is him, it's me, it's us, in fact! Come, Louise, put on the necessary skirt, and come and let us in. But try to make your beasts quiet, for we can't hear ourselves talk here!”

The farmer's wife left the window to come down to admit them, and thereupon Sans-Souci informed Jacques that they were at the abode of the unfaithful sweetheart of whom he had spoken that morning, and who was at heart very kind, very sentimental,--she had given him proofs of it that morning,--very obliging, and that she made her husband a cuckold solely because of her temperament.

”But this husband,” said Jacques; ”he is the master in his own house, and----”

”No; in the first place, Louise is the mistress; in the second place, he's a good fellow. Oh! she told me all about it this morning; she wanted me then to pa.s.s some time at the farm, as a distant relative of hers, just back from the army. I didn't accept, because I had promised to join you, and your friends.h.i.+p goes ahead of everything; but so long as you are here, and we are our own masters, faith! it's a good wind that blows us to my old flame's house--Hus.h.!.+ here's the lady herself!”

Louise did in fact open the door at that moment; she seemed surprised at sight of Jacques.

”This is my friend, let me introduce him to you,” said Sans-Souci; ”he is a fine fellow, a good comrade, whom I don't ever mean to leave.”

”Oh, well, then it's all right, he's our friend too. By the way, my husband's asleep, but it don't make any difference,--don't forget that you're my cousin, Sans-Souci.”

”All right, that's agreed; now let's be off to the kitchen.”

”I will make you an omelet with pork.”