of insignificant actions, without any senseof bitterness or grief.As she was unable to communicate with people, she lived in a sort ofsomnambulistic torpor. The processions of Corpus-Christi Day seemed towake her up. She visited the neighbours to beg for candlesticks andmats so as to adorn the temporary altars in the street.In church, she always gazed at the Holy Ghost, and noticed that therewas something about it that resembled a parrot. The likenessesappeared even more striking on a coloured picture by Espinal,representing the baptism of our Saviour. With his scarlet wings andemerald body, it was really the image of Loulou. Having bought thepicture, she hung it near the one of the Comte d'Artois so that shecould take them in at one glance.They associated in her mind, the parrot becoming sanctified throughthe neighbourhood of the Holy Ghost, and the latter becoming morelifelike in her eyes, and more comprehensible. In all probability theFather had never chosen as messenger a dove, as the latter has novoice, but rather one of Loulou's ancestors. And Felicite said herprayers in front of the coloured picture, though from time to time sheturned slightly towards the bird.She desired very much to enter in the ranks of the "Daughters of theVirgin." But Madame Aubain dissuaded her from it.A most important event occurred: Paul's marriage.After being first a notary's clerk, then in business, then in thecustoms, and a tax collector, and having even applied for a positionin the administration of woods and forests, he had at last, when hewas thirty-six years old, by a divine inspiration, found his vocation:registrature! and he displayed such a high ability that an inspectorhad offered him his daughter and his influence.Paul, who had become quite settled, brought his bride to visit hismother.But she looked down upon the customs of Pont-l'Eveque, put on airs,and hurt Felicite's feelings. Madame Aubain felt relieved when sheleft.The following week they learned of Monsieur Bourais' death in an inn.There were rumours of suicide, which were confirmed; doubts concerninghis integrity arose. Madame Aubain looked over her accounts and soondiscovered his numerous embezzlements; sales of wood which had beenconcealed from her, false receipts, etc. Furthermore, he had anillegitimate child, and entertained a friendship for "a person inDozule."These base actions affected her very much. In March, 1853, shedeveloped a pain in her chest; her tongue looked as if it were coatedwith smoke, and the leeches they applied did not relieve heroppression; and on the ninth evening she died, being just seventy-twoyears old.People thought that she was younger, because her hair, which she worein bands framing her pale face, was brown. Few friends regretted herloss, for her manner was so haughty that she did not attract them.Felicite mourned for her as servants seldom mourn for their masters.The fact that Madame should die before herself perplexed her mind andseemed contrary to the order of things, and absolutely monstrous andinadmissible. Ten days later (the time to journey from Besancon), theheirs arrived. Her daughter-in-law ransacked the drawers, kept some ofthe furniture, and sold the rest; then they went back to their ownhome.Madame's armchair, foot-warmer, work-table, the eight chairs,everything was gone! The