who spent their days in Church or at the Parish house.

The cold, growing daily more and more intense, bit mercilessly
the nose and ears of the strollers; their feet pained them so much
that each step was a torture; and when the country opened up before
them, it looked so frightfully dismal under the boundless sheet
of white, that they all retraced their steps hastily, with souls
frozen and hearts heavy.

The four women walked in front and the three men followed them a
little behind.

Loiseau, who understood the situation very clearly, inquired suddenly
whether that "wench" was going to keep them much longer in such a
place. The Count, always courteous, realized that they could not
expect such a painful sacrifice from a woman, and that the offer
should originate from her. Monsieur Carre-Lamadon remarked that
if the French undertook, as it was rumored, a counter-offensive
by way of Dieppe, the battle would certainly be fought in Totes.
This remark made the other two quite anxious--"How about trying
to escape on foot?" suggested Loiseau. The Count shrugged his
shoulders:--"That is out of the question in this snow, and with
our wives! And furthermore we would be pursued immediately, caught
in ten minutes and brought back as prisoners, at the mercy of the
soldiers"--That was true. There was silence again.

The ladies talked toilette, but a certain constraint seemed to
separate them.

Suddenly the Officer appeared at the end of the street. On the snow