Page:Crainquebille, Putois, Riquet and other profitable tales, 1915.djvu/54



VII

RESULTS

HE old man went along mumbling:

"For certain she’s a hussy, and none more of a hussy than she."

But at the bottom of his heart that was not the reproach he brought against her. He did not scorn her for being what she was. Rather he esteemed her for it, knowing her to be frugal and orderly. Once they had liked to talk together. She used to tell him of her parents who lived in the country. And they had both resolved to have a little garden and keep poultry. She was a good customer. And then to see her buying cabbages from young Martin, a dirty, good-for-nothing wretch; it cut him to the heart; and when she pretended to despise him, that put his back up, and then &hellip;!

But she, alas! was not the only one who shunned 40