clapped as the blows came, and above the girl's wail her strong,
exultant voice arose--calling out:

"_Tue-la! Tue-la!_"

It was the voice of a triumphant fury.

The backs of all these people were turned upon us; they had not seen,
much less heard, our entrance.

Someone else had seen us, however. A man with a rake over his shoulder
rushed in through the open door; it was the peasant we had seen in the
field. He seized Charm by the arm, and then my own hand was grasped as
in a grip of iron. Before we had time for resistance he had pushed us
out before him into the entry, behind the outer door. This latter he
slammed. He put his broad back against it; then he dropped his rake and
began to mop his face, violently, with a filthy handkerchief he plucked
from beneath his blouse.

"_Que chance! Nom de Dieu, que chance! Je v'avions vue_, I saw you just
in time--just in time--"

"But, I must go in--I wish to go back!" But Charm might as well have
attempted to move a pillar of stone.

The peasant's coarse, good-humored face broke into a broad laugh.

"Pardon, mam'selle--_j'n bougeons pas. Not' maitre e encolere; e' son
jour--faut pas l'irriter--aujou'hui."_