"
"You can tell the man working on the road yonder that you have taken him
with you, and send him back to tell your people."
"True, Marie, you think of everything! It didn't even occur to me that
Jeannie would be in this neighborhood."
"He lives close to the farm, too: he won't fail to do your errand."
When they had taken that precaution, Germain started the mare off at a
trot, and Petit Pierre was so overjoyed that he did not notice at first
that he had not dined; but as the rapid movement of the horse dug a pit
in his stomach, he began, after a league or more, to yawn and turn
pale, and at last confessed that he was dying of hunger.
"Now he's beginning," said Germain. "I knew that we shouldn't go far
before monsieur would cry from hunger or thirst."
"I'm thirsty, too!" said Petit-Pierre.
"Well, we will go to Mere Rebec's wine-shop at Corlay, at the sign of
the _Break of Day_. A fine sign, but a poor inn! Come, Marie, you will
drink a finger of wine too."
"No, no, I don't need anything," she said, "I'll hold the mare while you
go in with the little one."
"But now I think of it, my dear girl, you gave the bread you had for
your luncheon to my Pierre, and you haven't had anything to eat; you
refused to dine with us at the house, and did nothing but weep.
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