Bertrand made a half wheel to the left and went toward the garden; but as he passed Denise, who, although she said that she was going, did not go, and seemed very busy with her little cheeses, the corporal said to her in an undertone: "Look out for yourself!" Auguste once more approached Denise, who had started in surprise at Bertrand's words. "What's the matter?" he asked. "Nothing, monsieur, but I must go." "Will you do me a favor, Denise?" "Oh, yes! with pleasure, monsieur, if it's anything I can do." "I have taken a liking to that child I met on the road yesterday. His pretty face, his little honest way, everything speaks in his favor." "You mean Coco Calleux?" "Yes." "I'm fond of him, too, but the poor little fellow's had a hard time since he lost his mother. His grandmother's rough and cross, and his father's a drunkard, and they want that child, only six years old, to go to work so soon! Can you imagine such a thing? Why, he often has nothing but bread to eat, and he's lucky when he doesn't have a beating for his supper. So we in the village don't like that drunken pig of a Calleux, and if the cottage wasn't some distance from the village, Coco would be at our house more than he's at home, I tell you." "Well, Denise, be good enough to keep an eye on the child and buy him whatever he needs--in short, take my place with him, will you?" "Oh! with pleasure, monsieur!" "Here, take this purse, and use the contents to the best advantage for my little protégé. When that is gone, I'll give you more. I shall always approve whatever use you may make of it." "Ah! you've got a kind heart, monsieur! How glad I am! But such a lot of money as this will last a long time." "You will do me this favor, won't you?" "Will I! Pardi! I should say so! Don't you think it's pleasant to be employed to do good? Who could refuse such a commission?--I say, monsieur, I must kiss you for this--do you want me to?" "Do I want you to, Denise!" Auguste already had his arms around the girl, and had deposited more than one kiss on the plump cheeks which she offered him with pleasure, when an exclamation and a burst of laughter reached their ears simultaneously. Dalville turned: Madame Destival and Madame de la Thomassinière stood behind him. "Oh! this is too much!" cried Madame Destival, walking forward with a wrathful glance at Denise, while Athalie continued to laugh, albeit her laughter seemed slightly forced. "Delicious!" she said. "What! even with milkmaids? I shall remember this! the picture was truly rural." Denise was not disturbed, for she had no thought that she could be blamed; so she looked at the two ladies in amazement, trying to divine the cause of the merriment of the one and the anger that gleamed in the eyes of the other, and still holding in her hand the purse that the young man had given her. "What are you doing here?" demanded Madame Destival, with a contemptuous glance at the young milkmaid.