me up. When M'sieu l'cure said somethin' to me about it in the
first place, I said yes at once, 'specially as it was to oblige M'sieu
l'baron who'd be sure to pay me back for it, as I says to myself. Ain't
it always the way, and doesn't one good turn always deserve another? But
M'sieu Julien comes up and then it was only fifteen 'undred francs. Then
I says to myself, 'I must find out the rights o' this and so I came
'ere. In coorse I b'lieved your word, M'sieu l'baron, but I wanted to
find out the rights o' the case. Short reck'nings make long friends,
don't they, M'sieu l'baron?"

He would have gone on like this till dinner-time if no one had
interrupted him, so the baron broke in with:

"When will you marry her?"

The question aroused the peasant's suspicions again directly.

"Couldn't I have it put down in writin' first?" he asked in a halting
way.

"Why bless my soul, isn't the marriage-contract good enough for you?"
exclaimed the baron, angered by the man's suspicious nature.

"But until I get that I should like it wrote down on paper," persisted
the peasant. "Havin' it down on paper never does no harm."

"Give a plain answer, now at once," said the baron, rising to put an end
to the interview. "If you don't choose to marry the girl, say so. I know
someone else who would be glad of the chance."

The idea of twenty thousand francs slipping from his hands into someone
else's, startled the peasant out of his cautiousness, and he at once
decided to say "yes":

"Agreed, M'sieu l'baron!" he said, holding out his hand as if he were
concluding the purchase of a cow. "It's done, and there's no going back
from the bargain."

The baron took his hand and cried to the cook:

"Ludivine! Bring a bottle of wine."

The wine was drunk and then the peasant went away, feeling a great deal
lighter-hearted than when he had come.

Nothing was said about this visit to Julien. The drawing up of the
marriage-contract was kept a great secret; then the banns were
published and Rosalie was married on the Monday morning. At the church a
neighbor stood behind the bride and bridegroom with a child in her arms
as an omen of good luck, and everyone thought Desire Lecoq very
fortunate. "He was born with a caul," said the peasants with a smile.

When Julien heard of the marriage he had a violent quarrel with the
baron and baroness and they decided to shorten their visit at Les
Peuples. Jeanne was sorry but she did not grieve as befor