“And the cross in the ravine—are we far from that?”
“The cross in the ravine! Jesus, my Lord! you want to go to the cross in the ravine! at night! What in the world do you want to go there for?”
“From curiosity.”
“The deuce! you must be mighty curious, then!”
“Is it dangerous to go by there?”
“Bless me! this much is sure, that nobody round here would want to go through the ravine at night. As soon as you get near it, you hear groans and complaints.—It’s the dead man come back, for sure.”
“I don’t believe in ghosts myself.”
“It’s plain you don’t belong round here. Well, if you take the road I told you, you’re bound to pass, not through the ravine, but by one end of it. Good-night, mesdames.”
“Will you let us take your ass to return to Chelles? we will pay whatever you choose.”
“No, no; I don’t let my ass to folks who want to go to the dead man’s cross! No, thank you! Besides, Julie wouldn’t go, either; she’d balk. Come, away with you, my poor Julie!”