` My good bread , as usual , mademoiselle , also sorrel salad and -- and water , ' answered Marie , as if trying to make the most of her scanty meal . ` Will you eat the rolls and put the chocolate in your pocket to nibble at school ? You must be tired with this long walk so early . ' She hesitated , but could not resist ; and said in a low tone , as she held the bread in her hand without eating it , -- ` Would mademoiselle be angry if I took it to Bebe ? She has never tasted the beautiful white bread , and it would please her much . ' I emptied the plate into her basket , tucked in the chocolate , and added a gay picture for baby , which unexpected treasures caused Marie to clasp her hands and turn quite red with delight . After that she came daily , and we had merry times with old Nannette and her little mistress , whom we soon learned to love , so busy , blithe , and grateful was she . We soon found a new way to employ her , for the boy who drove our donkey did not suit us , and we got the donkey-woman to let us have Marie in the afternoon when her lessons were done . She liked that , and so did we ; for she seemed to understand the nature of donkeys , and could manage them without so much beating and shouting as the boy thought necessary . Such pleasant drives as we had , we two big women in the droll wagon , drawn by the little gray donkey that looked as if made of an old trunk , so rusty and rough was he as he went trotting along , his long ears wagging , and his small hoofs clattering over the fine hard road , while Marie sat on the shaft with a long whip , talking and laughing , and giving Andrè a poke now and then , crying ` E! E! houp la ! ' to make him go . We found her a capital little guide and story-teller , for her grandmother had told her all the tales and legends of the neighbourhood , and it was very pleasant to hear her repeat them in pretty peasant French , as we sat among the ruins , while Kate sketched , I took notes , and Marie held the big parasol over us . Some of these stones were charming ; at least as she told them , with her little face changing from gay to sad as she gesticulated most dramatically . The romance of ` Gilles de Bretagne ' was one of her favourites . How he carried off his child-wife when she was only twelve , how he was imprisoned and poisoned , and at last left to starve in a dungeon , and would stand at his window crying , ` Bread , bread ; for the love of God ! ' yet no one dared to give him any , till a poor peasant woman went in the night and gave him half her black loaf . Not once , but every night for six months , though she robbed her children to do it . And when he was dying , it was she who took a priest to him , that he might confess through the bars of his cell . ` So good , ah , so good , this poor woman ! It is beautiful to hear of that , mademoiselle ! '
little XXXXX would say , with her black eyes full and her lips trembling .
Andrè Kate Marie child-wife donkey-woman donkeys favourites months poisoned story-teller