“‘“What isthe matter there?” she asked. “Is he not finished yet?” “‘“It is true, madame, he is a very long time.” “‘Then she called, “Houdry! Houdry!” No response. She crossed the court and opened the abattoir door. The calf immediately escaped, and began gracefully jumping around her. She looked at the calf at once with emotion, for at that time the calf should have been dead. Then she struck a single blow on the double door, and called again to her husband, who did not answer her. She turned toward the clerk. “M. Houdry is not there,” she said. “Are you sure he has not gone out?” “‘“Oh, madame, I am perfectly sure of it. He has not come out and no one has gone in. I have not left the court,” replied the clerk, springing at the calf’s head as it continued running around. “I am sure he is there. He is just hiding to frighten you.” “‘“It will be better to hide the calf. Houdry! Houdry!” “‘The clerk, with a turn of the halter, had tied the calf. Entering with Mme. Houdry he uttered a cry of surprise and said: “Oh, that is queer! When we came in there was only one calf, a single calf, madame, a calf which was tied to the hanger, and which gambols in the court now, and here is another calf on the crossbeam.” Yes, indeed, there was another calf on the tinel. “‘“I see it now,” said Mme. Houdry. “What a small calf! But you are foolish; there should be two calves.” “‘“Never, madame, never.” “‘“Well, you see perfectly the calf on the beam?” “‘The little clerk and Mme. Houdry drew near to the beam, which was in the shadow, and how astonished they were to see the kind of white meat which was hanging from the beam. They had never seen such white meat, and this meat was arranged exactly like the calf’s. They accounted for this finally by deciding that it was not veal meat. “‘“What a curious calf,” the clerk continued to repeat. “‘“It is not a small calf,” said Mme. Houdry. “No! no!” “‘“All the same, madame, they have decorated the skin on the stomach with the lancet. See! What pretty patterns! There are two hearts, some arrows, some flowers ...Ah! those beautiful flowers.” The clerk raised up the lungs from which hung the heart. “‘“It is a beautiful pluck,” said he, “and has not been trufled. The heart is good.” “‘“Yes, he had a good heart!” groaned Mme. Houdry, who was all at once terrified at what she had said. “‘Thereupon the clerk began to weep, and without knowing why, dipped his hands in a pail of cold water which was placed beside the boiler, looking for the head of the animal, and he drew out a head. But when she saw the head, Mme. Houdry fainted, for she had recognized the head of her husband.