"You will come to one of our dances, will you not, André? The Maraîchines hope so."
At this there were signs of approval to the right and left of her.
"Perhaps," replied André. "It is so long since I was at a dance in Sallertaine; inclination may return."
She thanked him with a knowing wink; then for the first time seemed to be aware of the presence of Mathurin, who was looking at her with an air of mingled passion and grief.
A look of pity and embarrassment, not altogether feigned, came into her face as she said:
"You understand, Mathurin, what I say to one I say to all in your house.... If it were not too fatiguing for you?... I was glad to see you at mass again this morning ... it shows that you are feeling better...."
The cripple, only able to express himself clearly when he had time to think over his words, stammered out:
"Thank you, Félicité ... you are very kind, Félicité," and he uttered her name with a kind of adoration that seemed to touch two or three of the conscripts, stupefied as they were.
"What was your regiment, Mathurin?" asked the standard-bearer.
"The third Cuirassiers."