On the contrary, heaps of people! You can imagine, on Christmas Eve! There were men sitting and drinking on the counter and on all the window-sills. I dropped a tray with twelve glasses on it when you called me. Why, I've still got the tray under this arm and a bottle of the best brandy under the other. It gets in my way when I'm kissing you.... I left them shouting after me, down there, as though I had set the house on fire.... They must be wondering if I'm mad. But I don't care, I was so delighted that you were thinking of me. A sudden happiness came over me.... How are you, Tyltyl dear?... Kiss me again!... You're even handsomer than when I saw you last.... TYLTYL (_Kissing her_.) And you, dear Roselle, you are prettier than ever; and your cheeks are so soft and cool.... I never dared kiss you before.... When any one else did, I always said to myself, "How happy he must be!" ROSELLE The others didn't matter.... But I knew well enough that you didn't dare.... I didn't dare either, though I was dying to kiss you.... Do you remember the first time you came to the inn, six weeks ago? It was on a Sunday morning, after High Mass; you didn't look at anybody; but suddenly, when I came near, your eyes grew so bright and opened so wide.... TYLTYL And so did yours open wide: they looked like two lakes. ROSELLE What were they doing, our eyes? What happened?... I know that, since that day, I think of nothing but you, I do no work, I'm always here; but you came very seldom.... (_Coming down the ladder from the attic, enter a fourth young girl, in rustic clothes, all white with flour_.) TYLTYL (_Turning round_.) Who's there? You, Aimette?... (_To_ THE FAIRY.) This is Aimette, another cousin, the miller's daughter.... THE FAIRY Go on, go on, you're doing very nicely! AIMETTE (_A little shyly_.) I came as I was, from the mill. I've not had time to brush myself. TYLTYL That doesn't matter. Kiss me all the same. How fresh and rosy you are, underneath all that flour!... AIMETTE I shall never dare.... You'd be covered with it.... (_She has hardly finished speaking when, through the other window, enter a fifth young girl, bare-foot, bare-headed, clad in rags and carrying in her hand a wooden bowl with a few halfpence clinking in it. She does not dare come forward_.) TYLTYL One more!... (_To_ THE FAIRY.) This is Jalline, the little beggar-girl from the bridge by the Hermitage. THE FAIRY Excellent, excellent!... I'd better wake your father and tell him the house won't be big enough; then he can start building at once.... TYLTYL But it's not my fault. I didn't do it on purpose. One can't help loving them!... How are you, Jalline?... What have you done with your poor old father? JALLINE I left him at the bridge. TYLTYL What, all alone in the dark! And he blind and a cripple! Isn't that very dangerous?...