—"Travaill Bon-Dié joli,—anh?" (Is not the work of the Good-God pretty?) she said at last.... "There was Madame Remy, who used to sell the finest foulards and Madrases in St. Pierre;—she used to study the clouds. She drew the patterns of the clouds for her foulards: whenever she saw a beautiful cloud or a beautiful rainbow, she would make a drawing of it in color at once; and then she would send that to France to have foulards made just like it.... Since she is dead, you do not see any more pretty foulards such as there used to be."...
—"Would you like to look at the moon with my telescope, Cyrillia?" I asked. "Let me get it for you."
—"Oh no, no!" she answered, as if shocked.
—"Why?"
—"Ah! faut pa gàdé baggaïe Bon-Dié conm ça!" (It is not right to look at the things of the Good-God that way.)
I did not insist. After a little silence, Cyrillia resumed:—
—"But I saw the Sun and the Moon once fighting together: that was what people call an eclipse,—is not that the word?... They fought together a long time: I was looking at them. We put a terrine full of water on the ground, and looked into the water to see them. And the Moon is stronger than the Sun!—yes, the Sun was obliged to give way to the Moon.... Why do they fight like that?"
—"They don't, Cyrillia."
—"Oh yes, they do. I saw them!... And the Moon is much stronger than the Sun!"
I did not attempt to contradict this testimony of the eyes. Cyrillia continued to watch the pretty clouds. Then she said:—"Would you not like to have a ladder long enough to let you climb up to those clouds, and see what they are made of?"