that bound the horizon, his tall and wasp-like uniformed figure
outlined itself; he walked, knees apart, with that motion particular
to soldiers who are anxious not to soil their carefully polished
boots.

He bowed as he passed the ladies, and looked scornfully at the
men who, it must be said to their credit, had enough dignity not
to raise their hats, although Loiseau made a move to take off his
headgear.

Boule de Suif blushed red to her ears, and the three married women
felt greatly humiliated to have been met by the Officer while they
were in the company of this girl whom he had treated so unceremoniously.

Then they spoke of him, of his figure and his face. Madame
Carre-Lamadon, who had known many officers and who judged them as
a connoisseur, found that this one was not so bad looking after
all; she even regretted that he was not French, because he would
have made a very handsome husband with whom all the women would
have fallen in love.

Once back in the inn, they did not know what to do with themselves.
Even acrid words were exchanged about insignificant matters. The
silent dinner did not last long and each went upstairs to bed, in
the hope of sleeping the time away.

The next morning they came down with tired faces and exasperated
tempers. The women hardly spoke to Boule de Suif.

A Church bell began to ring; it was for a baptism. Boule de Suif