at last, on sunday morning as they came out from mass, his mother-in-law asked him what he had obtained from his sweetheart since their interview in the orchard.

"why, nothing at all," he replied. "i haven't spoken to her."

"how do you expect to persuade her, pray, if you don't speak to her?"

"i have never spoken to her but once," said germain. "that was when we went to fourche together; and since then i haven't said a single word to her. her refusal hurt me so, that i prefer not to hear her tell me again that she doesn't love me."

"well, my son, you must speak to her now; your father-in-law authorizes you to do it. come, make up your mind! i tell you to do it, and, if necessary, i insist on it; for you can't remain in this state of doubt."

germain obeyed. he went to mère guillette's, with downcast eyes and an air of profound depression. little marie was alone in the chimney-corner, musing so deeply that she did not hear germain come in. when she saw him before her, she leaped from her chair in surprise and her face flushed.

"little marie," he said, sitting beside her, "i have pained you and wearied you, i know; but the man and the woman at our house"—so designating the heads of the family in accordance with custom—"want me to speak to you and ask you to marry me. you won't be willing to do it, i expect that."

"germain," replied little marie, "have you made up your mind that you love me?"

"that offends you, i know, but it isn't my fault; if you could change your mind, i should be too happy, and i suppose i don't deserve to have it so. come, look at me, marie, am i so very frightful?"

"no, germain," she replied, with a smile, "you're better looking than i am."

"don't laugh at me; look at me indulgently; i haven't lost a hair or a tooth yet. my eyes tell you that i love you. look into my eyes, it's written there, and every girl knows how to read that writing."

marie looked into germain's eyes with an air of playful assurance; then she suddenly turned her head away and began to tremble.

"ah! mon dieu! i frighten you," said germain; "you look at me as if i were the farmer of ormeaux. don't be afraid of me, i beg of you, that hurts me too much. i won't say bad words to you, i won't kiss you against your will, and when you want me to go away, you have only to show me the door. tell me, must i go out so that you can stop trembling?"

marie held out her hand to the ploughman, but without turning her head, which was bent toward the fire-place, and without speaking.

"i understand," said germain; "you pity me, for you are kind-hearted; you are sorry to make me unhappy; but still you can't love me, can you?"

"why do you say such things to me, germain?" little marie replied at last, "do you want to make me cry?"

"poor little girl, you have a kind heart, i know; but you don't love me, and you hide your face from me because you're afraid to let me see your displeasure and your repugnance. and for my part, i don't dare do so much as press your hand! in the woods, when my son was asleep, and you were asleep too, i came near kissing you softly. but i should have died of shame rather than ask you for a kiss, and i suffered as much that night as a man roasting over a slow fire. since then, i've dreamed of you every night. ah! how i have kissed you, marie! but you slept without dreaming all the time. and now do you know what i think? that if you should turn and look at me with such eyes as i have for you, and if you should put your face to mine, i believe i should fall dead with joy. and as for you, you are thinking that if such a thing should happen to you, you would die of anger and shame!"

germain talked as if he were dreaming, and did not know what he said. little marie was still trembling; but as he was trembling even more than she, he did not notice it. suddenly she turned; she was all in tears, and looked at him with a reproachful expression.

the poor ploughman thought that that was the last stroke, and rose to go, without awaiting his sentence, but the girl detained him by throwing her arms about him, and hid her face against his breast.

"ah! germain," she said, sobbing, "haven't you guessed that i love you?"

germain would have gone mad, had not his son, who was looking for him and who entered the cottage galloping on a stick, with his little sister en croupe, lashing the imaginary steed with a willow switch, recalled him to himself. he lifted him up, and said, as he put him in his fiancée's arms:

"you have made more than one person happy by loving me!"