w a stable, a small
poultry-yard and all the picturesque and living accessories of poor
homes, which have so much of rural poesy about them. Who could see
without emotion the linen fluttering on the hedges, the bunches of
onions hanging from the eaves, the iron saucepans drying in the sun, the
wooden bench overhung with honeysuckle, the stone-crop clinging to the
thatch, as it does on the roofs of nearly all the cottages in France,
revealing a humble life that is almost vegetative?

It was impossible for Veronique to come upon her keeper without his
receiving due notice; two fine hunting dogs began to bark as soon as the
rustling of her habit was heard on the dried leaves. She took the end of
it over her arm and advanced toward the house. Farrabesche and his boy,
who were sitting on a wooden bench outside the door, rose and uncovered
their heads, standing in a respectful attitude, but without the least
appearance of servility.

"I have heard," said Veronique, looking attentively at the boy, "that
you take much care of my interests; I wished to see your house and the
nurseries, and ask you a few questions relating to the improvements I
intend to make."

"I am at madame's orders," replied Farrabesche.

Veronique admired the boy, who had a charming face of a perfect oval,
rather sunburned and brown but very regular in features, the forehead
finely modelled, orange-colored eyes of extreme vivacity, black hair cut
straight across the brow and allowed to hang down on either side of the
face. Taller than most boys of his age, the little fellow was nearly
five feet high. His trousers, like his shirt, were of coarse gray linen,
his waistcoat, of rough blue cloth with horn buttons much worn and a
jacket of the cloth so oddly called Maurienne velvet, with which the
Savoyards like to clothe themselves, stout hob-nailed shoes, and no
stockings. This costume was exactly like that of his father, except that
Farrabesche had on his head the broad-brimmed felt hat of the peasantry,
while the boy had only a brown woollen cap.

Though intelligent and animated, the child's face was instinct with the
gravity peculiar to all human beings of any age who live in solitude;
he seemed to put himself in harmony with the life and the silence of the
woods. Both Farrabesche and his son were specially developed on
their physical side, possessing many of the characteristics of
savages,--piercing sight, constant observation, absolute self-control,