to get him. Then she went away all alone, because she was an
early riser, getting up with the sun, whereas her husband kept late
hours, always ready to spend the night with friends. He called
to her:--"Put my eggnog near the fire!"--and continued the game.
When the travelers saw that they could not get anything out of
him, they announced that it was time to retire, and they all went
to bed.

They rose quite early again the next morning with a vague hope, a
greater desire to be able to proceed on their journey, and a dread
of having to spend another day in this wretched little inn. Alas!
the horses remained in the stable, the driver was invisible. Having
nothing better to do, they went and wandered around the coach.

Luncheon was very gloomy, and there had developed a general coolness
toward Boule de Suif, for night, which brings counsel, had somewhat
modified their judgment. They almost bore a grudge against the
girl for not having surreptitiously gone to the Prussian Officer
to afford a pleasant surprise to her companions when they awoke.
Nothing more simple! Beside, who would have suspected it? She
might have saved appearances by having the Officer say that he had
taken pity on their distress. To her it would have been of little
consequence.

But nobody as yet gave expression to such thoughts.

In the afternoon, as they were bored to death, the Count proposed
to take a walk around the village. Each one wrapped himself
up carefully and the small company set off, with the exception of
Cornudet, who preferred to remain by the fire, and the good Nuns