Volume II Part 10 (1/2)

Monsieur Cesaire Oirl servant”

He reflected for a few moments, and then added: ”That is all, my brethren, and I wish that all of you may find the Divine mercy”

And he came down from the pulpit, to finish e, which was the last in the village of La Sabliere, on the road to Fourville, the father, a thin, wrinkled old peasant, sat down at the table, while his wife took the saucepan off the fire, and Adelaide, the daughter, took the glasses and plates out of the sideboard, and he said: ”I think that place at Maitre Ohter-in-law does not like hiood thing to send Adelaide there”

His wife put the black saucepan onto the table, took the lid off, and while the steae, rose into the air she reflected, and he presently continued: ”He has got soht to be very sharp, and Adelaide is not that at all” And his wife replied: ”I hter, a strapping, silly looking girl with yellow hair and fat red cheeks like apples, she said: ”Do you hear, you great silly? You are to go to Maitre Omont's and offer yourself as his servant, and you will do whatever he tells you”

The girl began to laugh in a foolish an their dinner In ten irl, and try not toto say to you ” And slowly and minutely he laid down for her her line of conduct, anticipating theher for the conquest of an old ho was on unfriendly ter to listen to hi at her husband and her daughter by turns, and following every ith concentrated and silent attention, while Adelaide re eyes

As soon as their meal was over, her mother made her put her cap on, and they both started off to see Monsieur Cesaire O his tenants' cottages, for he had retired, and was living by subdividing and letting his land

He was about fifty-five years old, and was stout, jovial and rough hed and shouted loud enough to lassful, and was still said to be of an ae He liked to walk about his fields with his hands behind his back, digging his wooden shoes into the fat soil, looking at the sprouting corn or the flowering colza with the eye of an amateur at his ease, who likes to see it, but does not trouble hier, and they used to say of hiood temper every day”

He received the toainst the table, as he was finishi+ng his coffee, and turning round he said: ”What do you want?”

The irl Adelaide, and I have come to ask you to take her as servant, as Monsieur le cure told us you wanted one” Maitre Ohly: ”How old is the great she-goat?” ”Twenty last Michaelmas-Day, Monsieur Omont” ”That is settled, she will have fifteen francs a month and her food I shall expect her to-”

And he dismissed the tomen

The next day Adelaide entered upon her duties, and began to work hard, without saying a word, as she was in the habit of doing at ho the kitchen floor, Monsieur O: ”Here I am, lected hands, and her troubled looks, he said: ”Now just listen to me, so that thereelse; you understand what I mean We shall keep our shoes apart” ”Yes, irl, you in your kitchen; I inwill be for you just as it is for me Is that settled?” ”Yes, o to your work”

And she went out to attend to her duties and at -room with the flowered paper on the walls, and then, when the soup was on the table, she went to tell him ”Dinner is ready, master”

He went in, and sat down, looked round, unfolded his table napkin, hesitated for a moment and then in a voice of thunder he shouted: ”Adelaide!” She rushed in terribly frightened, for he had shouted as if he meant to murder her ”Well, in heaven's name, where is your place?”

”But,master ” ”I do not like to eat alone,” he roared; ”you will sit there, or go to the devil, if you don't choose to do so Go and get your plate and glass”

She brought thehtened, and stammered: ”Here I arew jovial; clinked glasses with her, rapped the table, and told her stories to which she listened with downcast eyes, without daring to say a word, and froot up to fetch soht in the coffee she only put one cup before hirowled: ”Well, what about yourself?” ”I never take any, master” ”Why not?” ”Because I do not like it”

Then he burst out afresh: ”I a my coffee by o to the devil Go and get a cup, and make haste about it”

So she went and fetched a cup, sat down again, tasted the black liquor and made faces over it, but sed it to the last drop, under her master's furious looks Then he lass of brandy as an extra drop, the second as a livener and the third as a kick behind, and then he told her to go and wash up her plates and dishes, adding, that she was ”a good sort of a girl”

It was the same at dinner, and then she had to play do that he should coarret under the roof, and after saying her prayers, she undressed and got into bed, but very soon she sprung up in a fright, for a furious shout had shaken the house

”Adelaide!” She opened her door, and replied from her attic: ”Here I am, master” ”Where are you?” ”In bed, of course, master” Then he roared out: ”Will you come downstairs, in heaven's name? I do not like to sleep alone, and by G---- and if you object, you can just go at once”

Then in her terror, she replied from upstairs: ”I will come, master,” as she looked for her candle, and he heard her sot to the bottom steps, he seized her by the arht wooden shoes by the side of herout: ”Quicker than that, confound it!”

And she repeated continually, without knohat she was saying: ”Here I am, here I am, master”