"That's natural enough; you seldom go out and never so far as this. But other people have looked after her. See! there's a horse and wagon that I know; they may be of use to us." "Who is that lady?" said the marquis, looking in at the window. "Why, don't you know her?" said the carpenter, with suppressed excitement. "I don't remember that I ever saw her," replied Monsieur de Boisguilbault, scrutinizing the interior more closely. "Some charitable person, I presume, who attends to the duties toward the unfortunate which I neglect." "It is the curé of Cuzion's sister," replied Jean Jappeloup. "She's a kind-hearted soul, a young widow, and very charitable, as you say. Wait until I give her warning of your arrival, for I know her, and she is a little timid." He hastened into the hovel, whispered a few hurried words to the old woman and Gilberte, whom, by a sudden inspiration, he had metamorphosed into a curé's sister, then returned to Monsieur de Boisguilbault and led him in, saying: "Come, monsieur le marquis, come; you won't frighten anybody. The sick children are better, and there's a brisk little fire to dry your clothes." XXX THE IMPROMPTU SUPPER The weather must needs have been very bad, or the marquis have unconsciously undergone some mysterious influence; for he actually made up his mind to risk a meeting with an entire stranger. He entered, and saluting the pretended widow with timid courtesy, drew near the fire, on which the old woman was hastily tossing fresh branches, deploring the condition of her old master's clothes. "Oh! good people, is it possible; what a state you're in, monsieur le marquis! Really, I wouldn't 'a' known you if Jean hadn't told me. Warm yourself, warm yourself, monsieur, for there's a chance of catching your death at your age." And, thinking that she showed great zeal and interest by her sinister predictions, the good woman, completely bewildered by the arrival of such a visitor, came near setting fire to her mantelpiece. "No, my good woman," said the marquis, "I am very thickly dressed at all times, and I hardly feel the rain." "Oh! I should say you are well dressed!" she replied, intending to pay him a compliment which she thought well adapted to flatter him, "for you have money enough to be!" "I do not refer to that," said the marquis; "I mean to say that you need not put yourself out so much or leave your patients for me. I am very comfortable here, and the life of an old man like me is worth less than that of your young children. Have they been sick long?" "About a fortnight, monsieur. But the worst has passed, thank God!" "Why don't you come to see me when you have sickness in the house?" "Oh! _nenny_, I should never dare to. I should be afraid of vexing you. We peasants are so stupid! We can't talk very well and we're afraid to ask." "I ought to come and find out about your troubles," said the marquis with a sigh; "but I see that more active and less selfish hearts do it in my place!"