CHAPTER V

THE VISION


The grass exhaled an odour of summer; flies buzzed in the air, the
sun shone on the river and warmed the slated roof. Old Mother
Simon had returned to Félicité and was peacefully falling asleep.

The ringing of bells woke her; the people were coming out of
church. Félicité's delirium subsided. By thinking of the
procession, she was able to see it as if she had taken part in it.
All the school-children, the singers and the firemen walked on the
sidewalks, while in the middle of the street came first the
custodian of the church with his halberd, then the beadle with a
large cross, the teacher in charge of the boys and a sister
escorting the little girls; three of the smallest ones, with curly
heads, threw rose leaves into the air; the deacon with outstretched
arms conducted the music; and two incense-bearers turned with each
step they took toward the Holy Sacrament, which was carried by
M. le Curé, attired in his handsome chasuble and walking under a
canopy of red velvet supported by four men. A crowd of people
followed, jammed between the walls of the houses hung with white
sheets; at last the procession arrived at the foot of the hill.

A cold sweat broke out on Félicité's forehead. Mother Simon wiped