Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 5.djvu/317

THE HUSSAR 291 "I peeped at her. The old lady jumped out of bed softly and looked to see if I was asleep. I lay quiet, so she sat before the stove, and blow- ing on the red-hot coals, she lit a candle. She then -went to a shelf in the corner and brought down a small bottle. After taking off every stitch of clothing, she sat on the broomstick, took three swallows from the bottle . . . and immediately flew up the chimney and was gone.

"'Ha! ha!' I said on seeing this, 'and so the old lady is a witch? You just wait, my little dove.' I jmnped out of bed and made for the bottle.

" It smelled bitter. I threw two drops on the floor and the shovel and a pail both flew up the chimney. I thought : ' Now this is great!'

"I looked under the bench and there slept the cat. A drop or two on his back — how he did swear — ' Scat ! ' I said, and didn't the old cat follow the pail.

"After that, I sprinkled everything in sight, so much the worse for what I touched, and the saucepans, the seats and tables just galloped away up the chimney in the twinkling of an eye. "'The deuce,' I said, 'let us try it too.' I made one mouthful of the remaining liquid and . . . you can beheve it or not as you like, in