The Blessed Virgin who
chose you will repay me in good luck."
She raised her voice and made so much fuss that the purchasers filling
the shop were interested, and began gazing at the girl with envious eyes.
It was popularity bursting out again around her, a popularity which ended
even by reaching the street when the landlady went to the threshold of
the shop, making signs to the tradespeople opposite and putting all the
neighbourhood in a flutter.
"Let us go," repeated Marie, feeling more and more uncomfortable.
But her father, on noticing a priest come in, detained her. "Ah! Monsieur
l'Abbe des Hermoises!"
It was in fact the handsome Abbe, clad in a cassock of fine cloth
emitting a pleasant odour, and with an expression of soft gaiety on his
fresh-coloured face. He had not noticed his companion of the previous
day, but had gone straight to Apolline and taken her on one side. And
Pierre overheard him saying in a subdued tone: "Why didn't you bring me
my three-dozen chaplets this morning?"
Apolline again began laughing with the cooing notes of a dove, and looked
at him sideways, roguishly, without answering.
"They are for my little penitents at Toulouse. I wanted to place them at
the bottom of my trunk; and you offered to help me pack my linen."
She continued laughing, and her pretty eyes sparkled.
"However, I shall not leave before to-morrow. Bring them me to-night,
will you not? When you are at liberty. It's at the end of the street, at
Duchene's.
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