Page:Eekhoud - The New Carthage.djvu/40

12 would have snubbed him had he mentioned so inconspicuous a person as Siska…!

Tired of calling him, Gina decided to return to the dreamer. She took his arm.

"You must be deaf… Come, I want you to see the nectarines. They are Mamma's special fruit, and Felicité counts them each morning. There are twelve of them. Don't touch any!"

She did not notice that Laurent had removed the flower. The little girl's indifference enlivened the Peasant, though he would have preferred her to ask what had become of her present.

He tried to forget his grief, and allowed himself to be led about by Gina. They played boys' games. To please her, he tumbled about, yelled like a little savage, rolled on the grass and in the paths, soiling his good clothes, mottling his cheeks, wet with perspiration, tears and mud.

"Oh! What a funny sight!" cried the little girl.

She dipped the corner of her handkerchief in the pond and tried to clean Laurent's face, but she laughed too much, and succeeded only in making it even more dirty.

During this operation there came the squeaking of a shrill voice.

"Madamoiselle, Monsieur would like you to come in. The guests are leaving… And you, come here! Tomorrow you go back to school! You have had enough vacation as it is!"

But at the sight of young Paridael Felicité, the redoubtable Felicité, confidential servant to the family, cried out as though she had met the devil himself.

"Faugh! You nasty child!"

She had called for him at school the night before,