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Monsieur le Cure； and we should like to make it a little
cheerful。'
〃The priest smiled and murmured： 'It seems to me to be hardly a
suitable occasion for amusing oneself。'
〃I replied： 'We are fighting every day； Monsieur。 Fourteen of our
comrades have been killed in a month； and three fell as late as
yesterday。 That is war。 We stake our life every moment； have we
not； therefore； the right to amuse ourselves freely？ We are
Frenchmen； we like to laugh； and we can laugh everywhere。 Our
fathers laughed on the scaffold！ This evening we should like to
brighten ourselves up a little； like gentlemen； and not like
soldiers； you understand me； I hope。 Are we wrong？'
〃He replied quickly： 'You are quite right； my friend； and I
accept your invitation with great pleasure。' Then he called out：
'Hermance！'
〃An old； bent； wrinkled； horrible； peasant woman appeared and
said： 'What do you want？'
〃 'I shall not dine at home； my daughter。'
〃 'Where are you going to dine then？'
〃 'With some gentlemen； hussars。'
〃I felt inclined to say： 'Bring your servant with you；' just to
see Marchas's face； but I did not venture to； and continued： 'Do
you know anyone among your parishioners； male or female； whom I
could invite as well？' He hesitated； reflected； and then said：
'No； I do not know anybody！'
〃I persisted： 'Nobody？ Come； Monsieur； think； it would be very
nice to have some ladies； I mean to say； some married couples！ I
know nothing about your parishioners。 The baker and his wife； the
grocer； thethethewatchmakertheshoemaker thethe
chemist with his wife。 We have a good spread； and plenty of wine；
and we should be enchanted to leave pleasant recollections of
ourselves behind us with the people here。'
〃The priest thought again for a long time and then said
resolutely： 'No； there is nobody。'
〃I began to laugh。 'By Jove； Monsieur le Cure； it is very vexing
not to have an Epiphany queen； for we have the bean。 Come； think。
Is there not a married mayor； or a married deputy…mayor； or a
married municipal councilor； or schoolmaster？'
〃 'No all the ladies have gone away。'
〃 'What； is there not in the whole place some good tradesman's
wife with her good tradesman； to whom we might give this
pleasure； for it would be a pleasure to them； a great pleasure
under present circumstances？'
〃But suddenly the cure began to laugh； and he laughed so
violently that he fairly shook； and exclaimed： 'Ha！ ha！ ha！ I
have got what you want； yes。 I have got what you want！ Ha！ ha！
ha！ We will laugh and enjoy ourselves； my children； we will have
some fun。 How pleased the ladies will be； I say； how delighted
they will be。 Ha！ ha！ Where are you staying？'
〃I described the house； and he understood where it was。 'Very
good；' he said。 'It belongs to Monsieur Bertin…Lavaille。 I will
be there in half an hour； with four ladies。 Ha！ ha！ ha！ four
ladies！'
〃He went out with me； still laughing； and left me； repeating：
'That is capital； in half an hour at Bertin…Lavaille's house。'
〃I returned quickly； very much astonished and very much puzzled。
'Covers for how many？' Marchas asked； as soon as he saw me。
〃 'Eleven。 There are six of us hussars besides the priest and
four ladies。'
〃He was thunderstruck； and I triumphant； and he repeated 'Four
ladies！ Did you say； four ladies？'
〃 'I said four women。'
〃 'Real women？'
〃 'Real women。'
〃 'Well； accept my compliments！'
〃 'I will； for I deserve them。'
〃He got out of his armchair； opened the door； and I saw a
beautiful； white tablecloth on a long table； round which three
hussars in blue aprons were setting out the plates and glasses。
'There are some women coming！' Marchas cried。 And the three men
began to dance and to cheer with all their might。
〃Everything was ready； and we were waiting。 We waited for nearly
an hour； while a delicious smell of roast poultry pervaded the
whole house。 At last； however； a knock against the shutters made
us all jump up at the same moment。 Stout Ponderel ran to open the
door； and in less than a minute a little Sister of Mercy appeared
in the doorway。 She was thin； wrinkled； and timid； and
successively saluted the four bewildered hussars who saw her
enter。 Behind her； the noise of sticks sounded on the tiled floor
in the vestibule。 As soon as she had come into the drawing…room I
saw three old heads in white caps； following each other one by
one； balancing themselves with different movements； one canting
to the right； while the other canted to the left。 Then three
worthy women showed themselves； limping； dragging their legs
behind them； crippled by illness and deformed through old age；
three infirm old women； past service； the only three pensioners
who were able to walk in the establishment which Sister
Saint…Benedict managed。
〃She had turned round to her invalids； full of anxiety for them；
and then seeing my quartermaster's stripes； she said to me： 'I am
much obliged to you for thinking of these poor women。 They have
very little pleasure in life； and you are at the same time giving
them a great treat and doing them a great honor。'
〃I saw the priest； who had remained in the obscurity of the
passage； and who was laughing heartily； and I began to laugh in
my turn； especially when I saw Marchas's face。 Then； motioning
the nun to the seats； I said： 'Sit down； Sister： we are very
proud and very happy that you have accepted our unpretentious
invitation。'
〃She took three chairs which stood against the wall； set them
before the fire； led her three old women to them； settled them on
them； took their sticks and shawls which she put into a corner；
and then； pointing to the first； a thin woman with an enormous
stomach； who was evidently suffering from the dropsy； she said：
'This is Mother Paumelle； whose husband was killed by falling
from a roof； and whose son died in Africa； she is sixty years
old。' Then she pointed to another； a tall woman； whose head shook
unceasingly： 'This is Mother Jean…Jean； who is sixty…seven。 She
is nearly blind； for her face was terribly singed in a fire； and
her right leg was half burned off。'
〃Then she pointed to the third； a sort of dwarf； with protruding；
round； stupid eyes； which she rolled incessantly in all
directions。 'This is La Putois； an idiot。 She is only
forty…four。'
〃I bowed to the three women as if I were being presented to some
Royal Highness； and turning to the priest I said： 'You are an
excellent man； Monsieur l'Abbe； and we all owe you a debt of
gratitude。'
〃Everybody was laughing； in fact； except Marchas； who seemed
furious； and just then Karl Massouligny cried： 'Sister
Saint…Benedict； supper is on the table！'
〃I made her go first with the priest； then I helped up Mother
Paumelle； whose arm I took and dragged her into the next room；
which was no easy task； for her swollen stomach seemed heavier
than a lump of iron。
〃Stout Ponderel gave his arm to Mother Jean…Jean； who bemoaned
her crutch； and little Joseph Herbon took the idiot； La Putois；
to the dining…room； which was filled with the odor of the viands。
〃As soon as we were opposite our plates； the Sister clapped her
hands three times； and； with the precisio