“Why so, Père Ledrux?”

“Well! it was mighty fine, they say; but when things end in a fight—why, that ain’t so amusing! I don’t like that, myself!”

“What’s that? What do you mean by a fight?”

“Why, yes, a fight, quarrelling, blows. And it seems they went at it in good shape, for Monsieur Droguet lost six or seven teeth, and Monsieur Luminot got a crack that echoed like a blow on a drum!”

The young women gazed at each other in surprise.

“Are you quite sure of what you say, Père Ledrux?”

“What’s that? am I sure? Why the whole village knows it as well as I do.”

“How is it that Monsieur Edmond and Freluchon, who were at that party, haven’t told us a word of this?”

“Faith! it’s all the more surprising because it was them as did the hitting.”

“Oh! that is impossible.”