"Ah, but for him, I should have said yes a long time ago, for I am tired of being thumped for ever; why, this evening, my mother was more savage than ever; she was like a fury! It was pitch dark. She didn't say a word; and I felt nothing but her clammy hand holding me by the scruff of my neck, whilst with the other she beat me; and whilst she did so, her eyes seemed to glare in the dark." "Poor Francois! for only having said you saw a dead man's bone by the wood-pile." "Yes, a foot that was sticking out of the ground," said Francois, shuddering with fright; "I am quite sure of it." "Perhaps there was a burying-ground there once." "Perhaps; but then, why did mother say she'd be the death of me, if I said a word about the bone to our Brother Martial? I rather think it is some one who has been killed in a quarrel, and that they have buried him there, that no one might know anything about it." "You are right; for don't you remember that such a thing did nearly happen once?" "When?" "Don't you remember once when M. Barbillon wounded with a knife that tall man, who is so very thin, that he showed himself for money?" "Oh, the walking skeleton, as they call him? Yes; and mother came and separated them; if she hadn't, I think Barbillon would have killed the tall, thin man. Did you see how Barbillon foamed at the mouth? and his eyes seemed ready to start from his head. Oh, he does not mind who he cuts and slashes with his knife,--he's such a headstrong, passionate fellow!" "So young and so wicked, Francois?" "Tortillard is much younger, and he would be quite as wicked as he, if he were strong enough." "Oh, yes, he's very, very wicked! The other day he beat me, because I would not play with him." "He beat you, did he? Then, the first time he comes--" "No, no, Francois; it was only in jest." "Are you sure?" "Yes, quite sure." "Very well, then, for, if not--But I don't know how he manages, the scamp! But he always has so much money. He's so lucky! When he came here with the Chouette, he showed us pieces of gold of twenty francs; and didn't he look knowing as he said, 'Oh, you might have the same, if you were not such little muffs!'" "Muffs?" "Yes; in slang that means fools, simpletons." "Yes, to be sure." "Forty francs in gold! What a many fine things I could buy with that! Couldn't you, Amandine?" "That I could." "What should you buy?" "Let's see," said the little girl, bending her head, and meditating. "I should first buy Brother Martial a good thick outside coat, that would keep him warm in his boat." "But for yourself,--for yourself." "I should like a crucifixion, like those image-sellers had on Sunday, you know, under the church porch at Asnieres." "Yes; and, now I think of it, we must not tell mother or Calabash that we went into a church." "To be sure, for she has always forbidden us to go into a church. What a pity! For church is such a nice place inside, isn't it, Francois?"