Page:Georges Eekhoud - Escal Vigor, a novel.djvu/282

258 "The Dykgrave will do very well without thy services. It is Fair-day to day and holiday for man and beast; for the masters as well as the servants."

"Pleasure before work!—Love before duty!"

"Besides he has enough to do with his Blandine, thy Dykgrave!" said Claudie in a tone, which revealed to Guidon the worst of the dilemma.

"When I assure you, my savoury chickens, that my presence there is indispensable; I'm already much behind time." Then he endeavoured to pass on with a hasty step.

"Tommy rot, my boy! They'll have to wait for thee a bit longer; still thou'st got to return with us to the village; thou'rt going to dance after that with all of us and then pick out one of us to take back with thee, with whom thou'lt have to act according to the fashion of the honest folk of Smaragdis. So now prove thyself a worthy Govaertz!"

But he continued to try and get himself away, whilst they ceased not to harass him, egged on by the irrepressible Claudie.

"Yes, yes, he'll have to go through it; he's going to pay his tribute like the