and not brass like those of his comrades. Thus Benoit was a little vain,
and something more; but old ladies such as the Little Chemist's wife said
he was galant. Probably only Medallion the auctioneer and the Cure did
not lose themselves in the general admiration; they thought he was to
Annette like a farthing dip to a holy candle.

Annette was the youngest of twelve, and one of a family of thirty-for
some of her married brothers and sisters and their children lived in her
father's long white house' by the river. When Benoit failed to come in
the spring, they showed their pity for her by abusing him; and when she
pleaded for him they said things which had an edge. They ended by
offering to marry her to Farette, the old miller, to whom they owed money
for flour. They brought Farette to the house at last, and she was
patient while he ogled her, and smoked his strong tabac, and tried to
sing. She was kind to him, and said nothing until, one day, urged by her
brother Solime, he mumbled the childish chanson Benoit sang the day he
left, as he passed their house going up the river:

"High in a nest of the tam'rac tree,
Swing under, so free, and swing over;
Swing under the sun and swing over the world,
My snow-bird, my gay little lover
My gay little lover, don, don! . . . don, don!

"When the winter is done I will come back home,
To the nest swinging under and over,
Swinging under and over and waiting for me,
Your rover, my snow-bird, your rover--
Your lover and rover, don, don! . . . don, don!"