LITMIR.BIZ

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if you would promise not to be angry!"

      "Do I look as though I could be so unkind, Fleur-de-Marie, as to find fault with anything you said?"

      "Oh, no, indeed, that you do not; only I hardly know whether I ought—"

      "You ought to tell me everything you think or feel, Fleur-de-Marie."

      "Well, then, I was wondering how you, who, it is easily seen, are above your condition, can frequent such low cabarets as that kept by the ogress."

      "Had I not done so, I should not have had the pleasure of wandering in the fields with you to-day, my dear Fleur-de-Marie."

      "That is, indeed, true, M. Rodolph; but, still, it does not alter my first opinion. No, much as I enjoy to-day's treat, I would cheerfully give up all thoughts of ever passing such another if I thought it could in any way injure you."

      "Injure me! Far from it! Think of the excellent advice you have been giving me."

      "Which you have promised me to follow?"

      "I have; and I pledge my word of honour to save henceforward at least forty sous a day." Thus speaking, Rodolph called out to the driver of their vehicle, who was passing the village of Sarcelles, "Take the first road to the right, cross Villiers to Bel, turn to the left, then keep along quite straight."

      "Now," said Rodolph, turning to his companion, "that I am a good boy, and promised to do all you tell me, let us go back to our diversion of building castles in the air: that does not run away with much money. You will not object to such a method of amusing myself, will you?"

      "Oh, no, build as many as you like, they are very cheaply raised, and very easily knocked down when you are tired of them. Now, then, you begin."

      "Well, then—No! Fleur-de-Marie, you shall build up yours first."

      "I wonder if you could guess what I should choose, if wishing were all, M. Rodolph."

      "Let us try. Suppose that this road—I say this road, because we happen to be on it—"

      "Yes, yes, of course; this road is as good as any other."

      "Well, then, I say, I suppose that this road leads to a delightful little village, at a considerable distance from the highroad—"

      "Oh, yes; that makes it so much more still and quiet!"

      "It is built facing the south, and half surrounded by trees—"

      "And close by flows a gentle river."

      "Exactly!—a clear, gently flowing river. At the end of this village stands a pretty farm, with a nice orchard on one side of it, and a garden, filled with flowers, on the other—"

      "That farm shall be called my farm, to which we will pretend we are now going."

      "Just so."

      "And where we know we shall get some delicious milk to drink after our journey!"

      "Milk, indeed! Excellent cream, and newly laid eggs, if you please."

      "And where we would be glad to stay all our lives!"

      "All our lives! Quite right—go on."

      "And then we should go and see all the cows!"

      "To be sure we should."

      "And afterwards visit the dairy?"

      "Visit the dairy! Yes."

      "Then the pigeon-house?"

      "Yes, so we should."

      "Oh, how very, very nice, only to think of such things!"

      "But let me finish the description of the farm—"

      "Yes, pray do! I quite forgot that."

      "Well, then, the ground floor contains two rooms; one, a large kitchen for the farm servants, and the other for the owner of the place."

      "Make that room have green blinds, M. Rodolph—do, pray; they are so cool, and look so pretty!"

      "Yes, yes—green blinds to the windows. I quite agree with you—they do look uncommonly pretty, and set off a place so well! Of course, the person tenanting this farm is your aunt."

      "Of course she is my aunt, and a very good, sensible, kind woman, M. Rodolph, is she not?"

      "Particularly so, and loves you like her own child."

      "Dear, good aunt! Oh, how delightful to have some one to love us!"

      "And you return the tender affection she bears you?"

      "Oh, with all my heart!" exclaimed Fleur-de-Marie, clasping her hands, and raising her eyes to heaven with an expression impossible to describe. "And I should help her to work, to attend to the family linen, to keep everything neat and clean, to store up the summer fruits against winter—oh, she would never have to complain that I was idle, I promise! First of all, in the morning—"

      "Wait a bit, Fleur-de-Marie; you are in too great a hurry. I want to finish describing the house to you; never mind your aunt just yet."

      "Ah, ha, Mr. Painter! All this is taken from some pretty landscape you have been painting on a fan. Now I know what makes you so expert at describing it!" said La Goualeuse, laughing merrily at her own little jest.

      "You little chatterer, be quiet, will you?"

      "Yes, I am a chatterer, indeed, to interrupt you so often, M. Rodolph; but pray go on, and I will not speak again till you have finished painting this dear farm."

      "Your room is on the first floor—"

      "My room! how charming! Oh, go on—go on, please, M. Rodolph, and describe all about it to me!" And the delighted girl opened her large laughing eyes, and pressed more closely against Rodolph, as if she expected to see the picture in his hand.

      "Your chamber has two windows looking out upon the flower garden, and a small meadow, watered by the river we mentioned. On the opposite bank of the stream rises a small hill, planted with fine old chestnut-trees; and from amongst them peeps out the village church—"

      "Oh, how beautiful—how very beautiful, M. Rodolph! It makes one quite long to be there."

      "Three or four fine cows are grazing in the meadow, which is only separated from the garden by a hedge of honeysuckle—"

      "And from my windows I can see the cows?"

      "Perfectly."

      "And one among them ought to be my favourite, you know, M. Rodolph; and I ought to put a little bell round its neck, and use it to feed out of my hands!"

      "Of course she would come when you called her. Let me see, what name shall we give her? Suppose we say, Musette. Do you like that? She shall be very young and gentle, and entirely white."

      "Oh, what a pretty name! Musette! Ah, Musette, Musette, I shall be always feeding you and patting you to make you know me."

      "Now we will finish the inside of your apartment, Fleur-de-Marie. The curtains and furniture are green, like the blinds; and outside the window grow an enormous rose-tree and honeysuckle, which entirely cover this side of the farm, and so surround your casements that you have only to stretch out your hand to gather a large bunch of roses and honeysuckle wet with the early morning dew."

      "Ah, M. Rodolph, what a good painter you are!"

      "Now this is the way you will pass your day—"

      "Yes, yes, let us see how I shall employ myself all day."

      "Early in the morning your good aunt wakes you with a tender kiss; she brings with her a bowl of new milk, just warm, which she prays you to drink, as she fancies you are delicate about the lungs, poor dear child! Well, you do as she wishes you; then rise, and take a walk around the farm; pay a visit to Musette, the poultry, your pets the pigeons, the flowers in the garden, till nine o'clock, when your writing-master arrives—"

      "My writing-master?"

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