Part 35 (2/2)

This picture brought a smile to Adeline's lips. She regretted that she had not been born in a village, where the days are all alike, monotonous perhaps, but at all events free from trouble and bitterness.

The farmer's wife cordially invited the young lady to enter the house.

She took little Ermance in her arms and dandled her, while answering the questions of Adeline, who learned that she was more than two leagues from her home, and who, touched by the frank and hearty welcome of the villagers, consented to rest for a few moments, and to share the repast prepared for the men about to return from their work.

The clock struck six; that was the time when the people at the farm a.s.sembled to partake gayly of their simple but substantial meal, seasoned always by appet.i.te.

Guillot appeared, bringing wood according to his custom. Sans-Souci entered the living room humming a ballad, and Jacques deposited in a corner the instruments of toil. The farmer examined the young lady with the stupid expression which was habitual with him; Jacques bowed and took his seat without paying much attention to Adeline, while she, as she glanced at the newcomers, tried to remember an incident long ago dispelled from her memory.

They took their places at the table; Jacques was seated beside Adeline, who was surprised by his courtesy, by his frank manners, and by his gentleness with the children. From time to time she cast a glance at that stern face, adorned with heavy moustaches, and bearing the scars of several wounds. Jacques did not notice the young lady's scrutiny; it was impossible for him to recognize her whom he had seen but once, through the gate of a garden, and to whom he had paid little heed. But as she gazed at Jacques's face and especially at his enormous moustaches, Adeline remembered the place where she had seen him, and she could not restrain an exclamation of surprise.

”What! can it be you, monsieur? Ah! I knew that I had seen you before.”

”Does madame refer to me?” said Jacques in amazement.

”Yes, monsieur, it is surely you; I am certain now.”

”Do you know my comrade, madame?” said Sans-Souci; ”if you do, you know a fine, honest fellow.”

”I don't doubt it, and yet monsieur frightened me terribly.”

”Frightened you, madame; I am very sorry; but how could I have done it?”

”Do you remember a certain day when you went to Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, about sixteen months ago? You stood for a long time at the gate of a garden; that barred gate, partly covered with boards, made it impossible to see anything from the garden except your face, and I confess that your eyes, your scars and your moustaches frightened me terribly.”

”What!” said Jacques, after examining Adeline with interest, ”you were in that garden?”

”Yes, monsieur, it is the garden of my house. But at that time, I was visiting it for the first time with my mother and my husband.”

Jacques made no reply; he became gloomy and thoughtful; he pa.s.sed his hand across his forehead, toyed with his moustaches, and uttered a profound sigh.

”Well,” said Guillot, after drinking a large gla.s.s of wine, ”that shows that it don't make any difference, and although a face may be or not,--and I say that it ain't always a moustache behind a gate that does it; for you see, that when a person is frightened at things like that--why that's how it is----”

”That's all right, my man,” said the farmer's wife, cutting short Guillot's eloquence; ”but if madame had seen that cross of honor on our friend Jacques's stomach, I guess she wouldn't have been afraid.”

”Oh!” said Adeline, ”I don't need to see it now, to realize my mistake.

But what can you expect? his strange position--for women are timid, you know, and that face with moustaches, appearing all alone at the end of the garden----”

”Oh, yes! that's so,” rejoined Guillot; ”it ain't surprising, and I think that I'd have been afraid myself; because the surprise, behind the gate, and moustaches, in a garden--a body can't help himself.”

”Hold your tongue, my man! You're a coward! Ain't it a shame, cousin?”

”Ten thousand bayonets!” said Sans-Souci; ”if robbers attacked the farm house, I promise you that I would make 'em turn to the right about and march!”

”Is your husband still at Villeneuve-Saint-Georges?” asked Jacques of Adeline, after a moment's silence.

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