alon door opened to admit
Blanquette.

She came to me with an agitated expression on her face which did not
accord with perfect happiness of spirit.

"_Dis donc, Asticot_," she cried. "What does it mean? Why did the master
not go on his holiday? Why did he not send for me? Why has he cut off
his hair and beard and dressed himself like a _Monsieur_? I know very
well the master is a gentleman, but why has he changed from what he used
to be?"

I temporised. "My dear," said I, "when you first knew me I wore a blue
blouse and boots with wooden soles. Almost the last time you had the
happiness of beholding me, I was clad in the purple and fine linen of a
dress-suit. You weren't alarmed at my putting on civilised garments, why
should you be excited at the master doing the same?"

"If you talk like the master, I shall detest you," exclaimed Blanquette.
"You do it because you are hiding something. _Ah, mon petit frere_," she
said with a change of tone and putting her arm round my neck, "tell me
what is happening. He is going to be married to the beautiful lady, eh?"

She looked into my eyes. Hers were deep and brown and a world of pain
lay behind them. I am a bad liar. She freed me roughly.

"I see. It is true. He is going to be married. He does not want me any
longer. It is all finished. O _mon Dieu, mon Dieu_! What is to become of
me?"

She wept, rubbing away the tears with her knuckles. I tried to comfort
her and lent her my pocket-handkerchief. She need have no fear, I said.
As long as the master lived her comfort was assured. She turned on me.

"Do you think I would let him keep me in idleness while he was married
to another woman? But no. It would be _malhonnete_. I would never do
such a thing."

She looked at me almost fiercely. There was something noble in her
pride. It would be dishonourable to accept without giving. She would
never do that, never.

"But what will become of you, my dear Blanquette?" I asked.

"Look, Asticot. I would give him all that he would ask. I am his, all,
all, to do what he likes with. I have told you. I would sleep on the
ground outside his door every night, if that were his good pleasure. It
is not much that I demand. But he must be alone in the room,
_entends-tu_? Another woman comes to cherish him, and I no longer have
any place near him. I must be far away. And what would be the good of
being far away from him? What shall I do? _Tiens_, as soon as he
marries, _je vais me fich'