d she could
scarcely breathe. Although she was only about twenty-nine years of age, her
life was ebbing away. There still remained traces of remarkable beauty: Her
head and hair were lovely, and her eyes were soft and dark like her
daughter's.

"Shall I give you something?" asked Perrine.

"What?"

"There are some shops near by. I can buy a lemon. I'll come back at once."

"No, keep the money. We have so little. Go back to Palikare and stop him
from eating the straw."

"That's not easy," answered the little girl.

She went back to the donkey and pushed him on his haunches until he was
out of reach of the straw in front of him.

At first the donkey was obstinate and tried to push forward again, but she
spoke to him gently and stroked him, and kissed him on his nose; then he
dropped his long ears with evident satisfaction and stood quite still.

There was no occasion to worry about him now, so she amused herself with
watching what was going on around her.

A little boy about her own age, dressed up like a clown, and who evidently
belonged to the circus caravans standing in the rear, had been strolling
round her for ten long minutes, without being able to attract her
attention. At last he decided to speak to her.

"That's a fine donkey," he remarked.

She did not reply.

"It don't belong to this country. If it does, I'm astonished."

She was looking at him, and thinking that after all he looked rather
like a nice boy, she thought she would reply.

"He comes from Greece," she said.

"Greece!" he echoed.

"That's why he's called Palikare."

"Ah! that's why."

But in spite of his broad grin he was not at all sure why a donkey that
came from Greece should be called Palikare.

"Is it far ... Greece?"

"Very far."

"Farther than ... China?"

"No, but it's a long way off."

"Then yer come from Greece, then?"

"No, farther than that."

"From China?"

"No, but Palikare's the only one that comes from Greece."

"Are you going to the Fair?"

"No."

"Where yer goin'?"

"Into Paris."

"I know that, but where yer goin' to put up that there cart?"

"We've been told that there are some free places round the
fortifications."

The little clown slapped his thighs with his two hands.

"The fortifications: _Oh la la!_"

"Isn't there any place?"

"Yes."

"Well, then?"

"It ain't the place for you ... round the fortifications! Have yer got
any men with yer? Big strong men who are not afraid o