108 STORIES FROM DAUDET

finery, with a flowered ribbon, bright
petticoat, and laces, and looked more
as if she had stopped to a dance than
been making her way through bush
and briar. Oh, the graceful darling!
My eyes could not be tired of gazing
at her. It is true that I had never
seen her so close before. Sometimes
in the winter, when the flocks had come
down to the valley, and I came into
the farmhouse in the evening to supper,
she would go quickly through the room,
without speaking to the servants, always
well dressed and a little scornful... .
And now I saw her before me and
had her to myself; it was enough to
turn my head.

When she had taken the food out
of the basket, Stephanette began to
look about her with wonder. Picking
up her fine Sunday petticoat a little,
which might have been hurt by the
mud, she went into the hut. Would
see the corner where I slept, the crib full
of straw with a sheepskin for coverlet,