h her again. She was left free to
run about the farm, and one day she disappeared. We never found out
what had become of her.

The feast of St. John was drawing near, and to celebrate the
anniversary of my arrival on the farm Eugene said that I must be taken
to the village. In honour of this feast day the farmer's wife gave me
a yellow dress which she used to wear when she was a girl. The village
was called Sainte Montague. It only had one street, at the end of
which was a church. Martine took me into mass, which had already
begun. She pushed me on to a bench and she sat down on the one in
front of me. There were two women behind me who never stopped talking
about yesterday's market, and the men near the door talked out loud
without seeming to mind. They only stopped talking when the priest
mounted the pulpit. I thought he was going to preach, but he only gave
out notices of the weddings. Every time he mentioned a name the women
leaned to right and left and smiled. I never even thought of praying.
I looked at Martine, who was on her knees. Her dark curls had got out
from under her embroidered cap. Her shoulders were broad, and her
white bodice was fastened at the waist with a black ribbon. The whole
of her made one think of something fresh and new, and yet the Mother
Superior had told me that shepherdesses were dirty. I thought of
Martine and how smart she always looked in her short striped petticoat,
her stockings, which were always tightly drawn, and her wooden shoes
covered with leather, which she blacked like boots. She was always
very careful of her flock, and the farmer's wife used to say that she
knew every one of her sheep. When we came out of mass she left me and
ran up to an old woman, whom she kissed tenderly. Then I lost sight of
her and remained all by myself, not knowing where to go. A little way
off I saw the inn of the "White Horse." There was a noise of voices
there and I could hear dishes and plates rattling. People went in in
crowds, and presently there was nobody left outside. I was going back
into the church to wait for Martine to come and fetch me when I saw
Eugene. He took me by the hand, and said, laughing as he spoke, "If
your dress had not been as yellow as it is I should certainly have
forgotten you." He looked at me as though he were making fun of me and
as though he were amused at something. He took me to the schoolmaster
and asked him to give me luncheon, and to ta