"To wait for the Chouette, who is sure to come first; to try and overhear what she and the tall man talk about, for that may be useful for you to know. There is nothing in the field but this trunk of a tree, and from here you may see all over the plain; it is as if it were made on purpose to sit down upon. The rendezvous of the Chouette is only four steps off at the cross-road, and I will lay a bet they come and sit here when they arrive. If I cannot hear anything, then, as soon as they separate, I will follow the Chouette, who is sure to stay last, and I'll pay her the old grudge I owe her for the Goualeuse's tooth; and I'll twist her neck until she tells me the name of the parents of the poor girl, for she says she knows them. What do you think of my idea, Master Rodolph?" "I like it very well, my lad; but there is one part which you must alter." "Oh, Chourineur, do not get yourself into any quarrel on my account. If you beat the Chouette, then the Schoolmaster--" "Say no more, my lass. The Chouette shall not go scot free for me. Confound it! why, for the very reason that the Schoolmaster will defend her, I will double her dose." "Listen, my man, to me; I have a better plan for avenging the Chouette's brutalities to Goualeuse, which I will tell you hereafter. Now," said Rodolph, moving a few paces from Goualeuse, and speaking low, "Now, will you render me a real service?" "Name it, Master Rodolph." "The Chouette does not know you?" "I saw her yesterday for the first time at the _tapis-franc_." "This is what you must do. Hide yourself first; but, when you see her come close to you, get out of this hole--" "And twist her neck?" "No, defer that for a time. To-day, only prevent her from speaking to the tall man. He, seeing some one with her, will not approach; and if he does, do not leave her alone for a moment. He cannot make his proposal before you." "If the man thinks me curious, I know what to do; he is neither the Schoolmaster nor Master Rodolph. I will follow the Chouette like her shadow, and the man shall not say a word that I do not overhear. He will then be off, and after that I will have one little turn with the Chouette. I must have it; it will be such a sweet drop for me." "Not yet; the one-eyed hag does not know whether you are a thief or not?" "No, not unless the Schoolmaster has talked of me to her, and told her that I did not do business in that line." "If he have, you must appear to have altered your ideas on that subject." "I?" "Yes." "Ten thousand thunders! M. Rodolph, what do you mean? Indeed--truly--I don't like it; it does not suit me to play such a farce as that."