Estelle was touched. To her own surprise, as well as that of her friends, she understood and answered in French as well as any little Parisian. How she learnt it she was still unable to say, but she had not spoken French with her former nurses and governess from Paris in vain. It was a relief to all parties that she was not shut out from the conversation. The chief pleasure to good Mrs. Wright was, however, that the purity of the accent and diction proved she was of gentle training, at all events. She smiled and nodded approvingly.
'Will you tell me about the fair?' said the little girl, seating herself on the settle by Mère Bricolin's side.
The old dame nodded, her black eyes twinkling. Estelle's blue ones grew rounder and rounder as she heard of the wonders of the sword-swallowers, the celebrated fleas which could drive a coach, of elephants that fired guns, of the great circus of horses; and—dearest of all to the peasant heart—the dancing at the Fontaine des Eaux; dancing which was to begin on the eve of the fête, and to be continued on the night itself till break of day.
'And will you dance, Mademoiselle?' asked Mère Bricolin, smiling. 'There will be plenty of people ready—— '
'Never!' exclaimed Jack, shortly. The very idea annoyed him.
'I hope to see it all,' said Estelle, eagerly. 'But I'm not strong enough to dance. I would rather look on.'
'You are right, Mademoiselle. You would not care to dance either. Our lads are good, but they are rough. But it is a pretty sight even to me, who am old, and must be ready to leave this world whenever it shall please Heaven. But M. le Curé says it is not wrong, M. Jack. All these things are for our ease and pleasure, and the next day we work again.'
'I dare say you are right, Madame,' returned Jack. 'There's no doubt that people enjoy themselves. My mother and I intend our little guest to do the same.'
'Have you taken her to see the Treasure Caves?'
'Not yet.'