your knees."

The farmer, who was familiar with affairs of that sort, tried to turn it
off as a joke. He claimed that his offence was not so very serious, as
it consisted only in words, and said that he was willing to beg the
girl's pardon, on condition that he might kiss her and that they should
all go and drink a pint of wine at the nearest inn and part good
friends.

"You disgust me!" replied Germain, pressing his face against the ground,
"and I long to see the last of your ugly face. There, blush if you can,
and you had better take the road of the _affronteux_[2] when you come to
our town."

He picked up the farmer's holly staff, broke it across his knee to show
the strength of his wrists, and threw the pieces away with a
contemptuous gesture.

Then, taking his son's hand in one of his, and little Marie's in the
other, he walked away, trembling with indignation.




XV

THE RETURN TO THE FARM


Within a quarter of an hour they had crossed the moors. They trotted