Affairs had reached that point when mademoiselle fell ill. Throughout her illness, as Germinie did not want to leave her, she did not attend mass. And on the first Sunday--when mademoiselle, being fully recovered, did not require her care, she was greatly surprised to find that "her devotee" remained at home and did not run away to church. "Oho!" said she, "so you don't go and see your cures nowadays? What have they done to you, eh?" "Nothing," said Germinie. V "There, mademoiselle!--Look at me," said Germinie. It was a few months later. She had asked her mistress's permission to go that evening to the wedding ball of her grocer's sister, who had chosen her for her maid-of-honor, and she had come to exhibit herself _en grande toilette_, in her low-necked muslin dress. Mademoiselle raised her eyes from the old volume, printed in large type, which she was reading, removed her spectacles, placed them in the book to mark her place, and exclaimed: "What, my little bigot, you at a ball! Do you know, my girl, this seems to me downright nonsense! You and the hornpipe! Faith, all you need now is to want to get married! A deuce of a want, that! But if you marry, I warn you that I won't keep you--mind that! I've no desire to wait on your brats! Come a little nearer----Oho! why----bless my soul! Mademoiselle Show-all! We're getting to be a bit of a flirt lately, I find----" "Why no, mademoiselle," Germinie tried to say. "And then," continued Mademoiselle de Varandeuil, following out her thought, "among you people, the men are such sweet creatures! They'll spend all you have--to say nothing of the blows. But marriage--I am sure that that nonsensical idea of getting married buzzes around in your head when you see the others. That's what gives you that simper, I'll wager. _Bon Dieu de Dieu!_ Now turn a bit, so that I can see you," said Mademoiselle de Varandeuil, with an abrupt change of tone to one that was almost caressing; and placing her thin hands on the arms of her easy-chair, crossing her legs and moving her foot back and forth, she set about inspecting Germinie and her toilet. "What the devil!" said she, after a few moments of silent scrutiny, "what! is it really you?----Then I have never used my eyes to look at you.----Good God, yes!----But----but----" She mumbled more vague exclamations between her teeth.----"Where the deuce did you get that mug like an amorous cat's?" she said at last, and continued to gaze at her.