finished, there was a loud _whirr_--_whirr_, and a covey of large birds
flew up in the air, with a tremendous noise.

Madame Vilers was startled, shut her eyes, fired off both barrels and
staggered at the recoil of the gun; but when she had recovered her
self-possession, she saw that the Baron was dancing about like a madman,
and that Medor was bringing back the first of the two partridges which
she had killed.

From that day, Monsieur de Coutelier was in love with her, and used to
say, raising his eyes: "What a woman!" And he used to go and see them
every evening now, and talked about shooting.

One day, Monsieur de Courville, who was walking part of the way with him,
asked him, suddenly:

"Why don't you marry her?"

The Baron was altogether taken by surprise, and said:

"What? I? Marry her? ... Well ... really...."

And he said no more for a while, but then, suddenly shaking hands with
his companion, he said:

"Good-bye, my friend," and quickly disappeared in the darkness.

He did not go again for three days, but when he reappeared, he was pale
from thinking the matter over, and graver than usual. Taking Monsieur de
Courville aside, he said: