"No, she had not lost anyone," Madelon said, in answer to her inquiries, "but she did not know where she was; could Madame tell her the way to the Hotel de l'Aigle d'Or?" "It is quite near," Madame answered; "we are going that way; if you like to come with us, we will show it to you." So Madelon followed the three down the broad steps, and out into the Place, where she looked a queer figure enough, perhaps, in the midst of all the gay holiday-folk who were gathered round the booths and stalls. She did not concern herself about that, however, for her mind was still full of what she had seen and heard in the church; and she walked on silently, till presently Madame, with some natural curiosity as to this small waif and stray she had picked up, said, "Are you staying at the hotel, _ma petite?_" "Yes," answered Madelon, "we came there last night." "And how was it you went to church all alone?" "Papa had to go out," says Madelon, getting rather red and confused, "and I was so dull by myself, and I--I went out into the street, and got into the church by a little door at the side--not that other one we came out at just now; so I did not know where I was, nor the way back again." "Then you are a stranger here, and have never been to the church before?" said Monsieur. "No," said Madelon; and then, full of her own ideas, she asked abruptly--"what was everyone doing in there?" "In there!--in the church, do you mean?" "Yes, in the church--what was everyone doing?" "But do you not know, then," said the mother, "that it is to- day a great fete--the fete of the Assumption?" "No," said Madelon, "I did not know. Was that why so many people were there? What were they doing?" she persisted. "How do you mean?--do you not go the _messe_ every Sunday?" said Madame, surprised. "To the _messe!_" answered Madelon--"what is that? I never was in a church before." "Never in a church before!" echoed a chorus of three astonished voices, while Monsieur added--"Never in this church, you mean." "No," answered Madelon, "it is the first time I ever went into a church at all." "But, _mon enfant_," said the mother, "you are big enough to have gone to church long before this. Why, you must be eight or nine years old, and Nanette here went to the _grand' messe_ before she was five--did you not, Nanette?" "Yes," says Nanette, with a further sense of superiority added to that already induced by the contrast of her new white muslin frock with Madelon's somewhat limp exterior. "And never missed it for a single Sunday of fete-day since," continued Madame, "except last year, when she had the measles." "Do you go there every Sunday?" asked Madelon of the child. "Yes, every Sunday and fete-days. Would you like to see my new Paroissien? My god-father gave it to me on my last birthday." "And is it always like to-day, with all the singing, and music, and people?"