possibly believed that that pretty little Parisian woman, with her soft
innocent eyes, like those of a Madonna, with such smiling lips and
golden hair, and who always dressed so simple, was their candidate's
mistress?"

She was a wonderful help to him, and accompanied him even to the most
outlying farms; went to the meetings in the small village _cafes_ and
had a pleasant and suitable word for every one, and did not recoil at a
glass of mulled wine or a grip of the hand, and was always ready to join
in _farandole_.[18] She seemed to be so in love with Elienne Rulhiere,
to trust him so entirely, to be so proud of forming half of his life,
and of belonging to him, gave him such looks full of pleasure and of
hope, and listened to all he said so intently, that voters who might
have hesitated, allowed themselves by degrees to be talked over and
persuaded; and promised their votes to the young doctor, whose name they
never heard mentioned in the district before.

[Footnote 18: A dance in Provence in which the dancers form a chain, and
the movements are directed by the leader.--TRANSLATOR.]

That electoral campaign had been like a truant's escapade for Jane
Dardenne; it was a delightful and unexpected holiday, and as she was an
actress at heart, she played her part seriously, and threw herself into
her character, and enjoyed herself more than she ever enjoyed herself in
her most adventurous outings.

And then there came in the pleasure of being taken for a woman of the
world, of being flattered, respected and envied, and of getting out of
the usual groove for a time, and also the dream that this journey of a
few weeks would have the sequence, that her lover would not separate
from her on their return, but would sacrifice the woman whom he no
longer loved, and whom he ironically used to call his _Cinderella_, to
her.

At night, when they had laid aside all pretense, and when they were
alone in their room in the hotel, she coaxed him and flattered him,
spurred his ambition on, threw her quivering arms around him, and amidst
her kisses, whispered those words to him, which make a man proud and
warm his heart, and give him strength, like a stout dram of alcohol.

The two between them captured the district, and won the election easily,
and in spite of his youth, Elienne Rulhiere was chosen by a majority of
five thousand. Then, of course, there were more fetes and banquets, at
which Jane was present, and where she was received