"It isn't a question of cabs. I know that we didn't bring our own carriage, so as not to tire our horses; but we must find out whether it will inconvenience our venerable aunt to put us up to-night."

"Oh! we've got room, madame."

"It will be very kind of you to stay," said Denise, hoping to have more talk of Auguste with Virginie.

"But the ladies will have to be satisfied with rather a hard bed."

"We shall be very comfortable."

"I'm not hard to pleathe; I've thlept on thraw more than onth."

Virginie nudged Cezarine and added hastily:

"Oh, yes! in the country--as a joke--just for sport."

"Yeth, and I rather like it; it ith great fun--it p.r.i.c.kth."

"Oh! I don't propose that you shall be p.r.i.c.ked," said Mere Fourcy; "I'll fix up a bed for you in the little back chamber."

"Don't put yourself out in the least, dear aunt, I beg; the pleasure of staying with you, of seeing the spectacle of a village party, is all we want," said Virginie. But the old woman turned a deaf ear and went to prepare a chamber for her guests, while Denise lighted a great lamp to illuminate the living-room; for it was growing dark, and the party would soon begin.

During these preparations Virginie whispered to her friend:

"These good people take us for princesses."

"Well, it theemth to me that I cut a pretty good figure."

"Yes, but don't make stupid remarks at the party. For my part, I like it here very much; I would willingly spend a fortnight here."

"It thertainly wouldn't cotht much to live here."

"But if all the men are as agreeable as neighbor Mauflard, they must be a lively set of fellows."

Night came, and the regular party-goers, who had arranged to meet at Mere Fourcy's on that evening, began to arrive. One old woman brought her spinning-wheel, another her knitting; many brought nothing, because they were to tell stories, which are of no small importance at a village party. The men brought bottles and pitchers, and every one was provided with his own supper.

Virginie and Cezarine, seated in a corner of the main room, where it was not very light, despite the lamp, scrutinized the villagers and made comments which luckily they did not hear.

"Oh! what funny creatures!" said Virginie. "Don't they look countrified!

I'd like to show them stars on the ceiling!"

"Oh! thethe village folkth are more knowing than they look."

"I'll bet that I play a trick on 'em and fool 'em all."

"Virginie, you mutht behave yourthelf, you know."

"That's all right, Semiramis, I know how to behave."

"Look at that tall young fellow over there--he'th a handthome man. He hath Theodore'th legth."

"He looks like a terrible fool!"

"I don't care for that--he ithn't a bit bad-looking."

When they first entered the room, the villagers did not notice the two Parisian ladies; but when they did see them, they gathered in groups and began to whisper together. Cezarine walked toward them and said with an amiable air:

"We don't wish to embarrath you, worthy villagerth; we have come to take part in your games."

"We're very fond of country life," said Virginie; "and before buying a farm, we want to know what people do on farms."

Mere Fourcy's arrival gave the villagers all the information they desired.

"They're great ladies from Paris," she told them. "They have a beautiful house, but they ain't a bit proud; they decided to pa.s.s the night here, so's to be at the party. You'll see how polite they are."

The peasants bowed low to the great ladies; some young gallants of the village, in order to win favor with the strangers at once, began to push one another and exchange fisticuffs, and yelled with delight when one of them fell to the floor.

"Our youngsters are beginning their fooling," said the old men; and Virginie remarked to her friend:

"If they begin like this, I wonder where they'll end!"

Amid the uproar, Monsieur Mauflard continued to snore in his chair; and one of the village wits exclaimed:

"Look--Pere Mauflard's asleep. I say! we must put up a game on Pere Mauflard. What do you say?"

"Count me in on that," said Cezarine, seating herself beside the tall, gawky youth whom she considered handsome, and who lowered his eyes and flushed to the ears when the lady from Paris looked at him.

"What shall we do to Pere Mauflard?" asked a peasant.

"Take his hat."

"Oh! that ain't funny enough."

"Steal his handkerchief."

"Or his snuff-box."

"Oh! he'll guess right off that it was us who took that. That ain't a good trick."

"Do you want a good trick?" asked Cezarine; "if you do, jutht quietly take off his breecheth."

All the villagers gazed at one another in amazement, for the trick proposed by the lovely Parisian seemed rather strong to them; and Virginie trod on her friend's foot and whispered:

"Will you keep quiet? What are you thinking about? As if anyone ever did such things as that here!--My friends," Virginie continued, addressing the villagers, "my cousin said that because she a.s.sumed that Pere Mauflard wears drawers."

"Oh, yes! but he don't!" said a stout woman, laughingly. Whereupon all the peasants cried:

"Oho! Fanchon knows all about it! How do you know that, eh, Fanchon?

Well, on my word! it seems that Fanchon--So you know that, do you, Fanchon?"