And the milkmaid, thinking that the young man intended to try to kiss her again, ran to her donkey, and, in order to fly more rapidly, leaped on White Jean's back, and beat him with redoubled force. But it was the animal's custom to return placidly to the village, browsing on whatever he found by the roadside, and not to bear his young mistress on his back. Disturbed in his daily routine by this unexpected burden, White Jean broke into a fast trot, and entered the woods despite his mistress's efforts to make him follow the beaten path. Auguste heard the girl's cries as she tried in vain to hold her steed, dodging with much difficulty the branches which brushed against her face every instant. Forgetting the marks that Denise had left on his cheek, Dalville followed the milkmaid's track, in order to lead the ass back into the path; but when he heard running behind him, the infernal beast went faster than ever and rushed heedlessly into the densest part of the wood. Soon a stout branch barred the milkmaid's path. While her mount ran beneath it, she was swept to the ground; and as she fell another branch caught her skirt; so that poor Denise fell to the ground, face downward, with her skirt over her head and consequently not where it usually was. Auguste came up at that moment. You can imagine the sight that met his eyes; and what the skirt no longer covered was white and plump and fresh. But we must do the young man justice; instead of amusing himself by contemplating so many attractive things, he ran to Denise. She shrieked and wept and gnashed her teeth. He succeeded in rescuing her head from her petticoats, and quickly covered--what you know. Denise rose; but she was covered with confusion, she dared not look up at the young man, who, far from taking advantage of her embarrassment, inquired solicitously whether she was hurt. "Oh, no! it ain't anything," said Denise, still blushing. "I should have forgotten all about it before this if that cursed branch--Pardi! I must be mighty unlucky." "Why so? because you fell? Why, my dear child, that might happen to anybody." "Yes, but it's possible to fall without showing--without--Never mind, you're the first one that ever saw it, all the same." "Ah! I would like to be the last one, too.--Come, why this offended expression? I promise you that I didn't see anything; I thought of nothing but helping you. I was so afraid that you had hurt yourself! It would have been my fault; for, if it hadn't been for my nonsense, you would have gone your way in peace, and this wouldn't have happened." As Denise listened to Auguste, her anger passed away, and she even smiled as she said: