"I don't understand perfectly," said Agapit, with patient gravity. "This seems to be a house divided against itself. Claudine spends her money for something she hates, and then informs on herself."
Bidiane would not answer him, and he continued, "Is Father Duvair at present engaged in the work of destruction in the cellar?"
"I just told you that he is."
"How much rum will he find there?"
"Two casks," she said, mournfully. "It is what we were keeping for the election."
"And you think it wise to give men that poison to drink?" asked Agapit, in an impartial and judicial manner.
"A little does not hurt; why, some of the women say that it makes their husbands good-natured."
"If you were married, would you like your husband to be a drunkard?"
"No," she said, defiantly; "but I would not mind his getting drunk occasionally, if he would be gentlemanly about it."
Her tone was sharp and irritated, and Agapit, seeing that her nerves were all unstrung, smiled indulgently instead of chiding her.