The bridegroom was not allowed to touch them, except with the end of his
wand, and only to point out the one whom he judged to be his wife. They
gave him time to examine them, but only with his eyes, and the matrons,
who stood by his side, watched closely to see that there was no
cheating. If he made a mistake, he could not dance with his betrothed
during the evening, but only with her whom he had chosen by mistake.
Germain, finding himself in the presence of those phantoms enveloped in
the same winding-sheet, was terribly afraid of making a mistake; and, as
a matter of fact, that had happened to many others, for the precautions
were always taken with scrupulous care. His heart beat fast. Little
Marie tried to breathe hard and make the sheet move, but her mischievous
rivals did the same, pushed out the cloth with their fingers, and there
were as many mysterious signs as there were girls under the veil. The
square caps kept the veil so perfectly level that it was impossible to
distinguish the shape of a head beneath its folds.
Germain, after ten minutes of hesitation, closed his eyes, commended his
soul to God, and stuck his staff out at random. He touched little
Marie's forehead, and she threw the sheet aside with a cry of triumph.
He obtained leave then to kiss her, and, taking her in his strong arms,
he carried her to the middle of the room, and with her opened the ball,
which lasted until two o'clock in the morning.
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