At first there was a great deal of jabbering going on, but nothing to arrest the attention of the lads.
But suddenly Phil caught Tad's arm, and whispered, "Listen, Tad! What's the woman saying?"
Tad listened accordingly, and having learned enough now of the Normandy patois French to understand what was said, when he paid close attention, he at once became interested. For a woman of the party had said to old Sophie:
"I forgot to ask thee, Sophie, did a letter reach thee from Angleterre, from thy daughter, as we passed through the town?"
"Yes, Dieu merci, it did, and it was a letter that made my old heart glad."
"And how so, Sophie, if one may ask?"
"Ay, tell us!" cried another voice. "Thou knowest well, good mother, that all that interests thee has interest also for us."
"After the last letter that came, I told you, did I not, my friends," said the old woman, "how unhappy my poor child was?"
"Yes, but not wherefore she was so vexed in spirit," replied Bernadine, a big woman with a baby in her arms. "Was that English gipsy husband of hers unkind to her?"
"No, no, Bernadine; from the time that Jake the gipsy saw and loved my Marie when she was in service over there, he has been as kind as any husband could be, and for love of him she is more than half English already; but—"