The Monticellonian., 1895-11-01
THE LITTLE CASK.

THE LITTLE CASK.
 Mister Chicot, innkeeper of Eperville, stopped his tilbury in front of Mother Magloire's farm. He was q big fellow of forty, red-faeed, high-stomached, and passed for being mischieyous.
 He tied his horse to the way post at the gate, then took his way into the court He possessed an estate adjoin ing the old woman's land, which for long time he kept watch upon. Twen- ty times he had tried to buy 1t, but Mother MagIoire obstinately refused.
 "Here was born; here will die" she said
 He found her peeling potatoes in front of her door. Being seventy two years old. she was dried up, wrinkled and bent, but as indefatigable as q young girl. Chieot tapped her in q friendly way on the back, then seated himself on n stool beside her.
 Well, mother, and is your health al- ways go0d2"
 Not so bad; and yours, Mr. Prosper?"
 "Eh! ehl A few pains, otherwise 1t is satisfactory"
 Well, so much the better."
 And she did not say anything more.
 Chieot watched her accomplish what she wanted. Her crooked fingers, l,notted hard like crabs claws, seizing, pineher fashion, the grayish tubercles with one hand, and quickly she moved it, taking off long strips of the skin with the blade of an old knife which she held in the other hand And when the potato had become quite yellow she threw it into u pail of water. Three fearless fowls came, one after the other, close to her skirts to pick mp the peel Hgs, then ran of as fast us their legs would carry them, bearing their booty in their beaks.
 Ghileot seemed ill at ease. hesitating, anxious, with something on the tip of his tongue which would not come out. At last he begins:
 Tell me- Mother Magloire-"
 What can do to oblige you?" J to me?"
 As to that, no. Do not count on it. l have said it. Do not talk about It again"
 The fact is, l have found an arrange nent which will suit us both"
 What is that?"
 Here it is. You will sell 1t to me. and still you will keep it, Don't you sec? Follow my meaning?"
 The old woman left off peeling her vegetables and fixed her quick eyes with their crumpled eyelids on the inn keeper.
 He resumed; Twill explain myself. Livery month l will give you one hun dred and fifty francs. You hear me Well--eyery month I will bring to you here, in my tilbury, thirty crowns of one hundred sons. And so there is noth- ing changed-nething at all. You TO- main here at home; you need not trouble yourself about me, you owe me nothing. You only take my money. Does this suit you?"
 He looked at her with Joyous air, with good-humored air.
 The old woman, looking for the snare, considers it with misgivings. She asks:
 That is for me. But for you-that does not give you this farm at all"
 He continued: Don't worry your self about that. You will remain as long as the good Lord lets you live. You are at home. Only you give me little note from your lawyer to say that after you it comes to me. You have no chil- dren, only nephews, for whom you care little. Does this suit you? You keep your land during your life and I give you thirty crowns of one hundred sous every month. It is all gain for you"
 The old woman remained surprised, but tempted. She replied:
 ''I do not say no only want to think it over. Come again and talk about il the middle of nextweek. will tell you what l think of it.'
 And Mister Chicot went away as con. tented as king who had just con quered an empire. Mother Nagloirc remained thoughtful. The next night she did not sleep. During four days sine had fever of hesitation. She smelt something bad for her in it. but the thought of thirty crowns q month. of this lovely, eltnling money which would come rolling into her apron. which, without her doing anything. would fall to her as if from heaven, consumed her with desire. She went. therefore, to see the lawyer and told him her case. He advised her to accept Chicot's proposition, but instead Of thirty to ask fifty crowns of hundred sous, her farm being worth at least sixty thousand francs.
 "Should you live fifteen years," the lawyer said, fin this way he only pays forty-fye thousand francs.''
 The old woman gnivered at the pros peet of fifty crowns of one hundred sous per month; but still she had her doubts, fearing thousand things unforesee- tricks hdden-and she remained until evening asking questions and un- able to decide or to go away. At last she orders the act to be prepared and Fhe goes home, dazed as if she had drunk four pots of new cider.
 When Chicot came to know the an- kwer she allowed herself to be entreat- ed, declaring that she would not. But, gnawed by the fear that he would not consent to give the fifty crowns of one