“When the little one strayed too far away, she would be called back by the harsh, angry voice of her father.  She never heard a word of affection.  When she grew older, she fetched and carried the broken chairs.  Then it was she made friends with the children in the street, but their parents always called them away and scolded them for speaking to the barefooted child.  Often the boys threw stones at her.  Once a kind woman gave her a few pennies.  She saved them most carefully.

“One day—­she was then eleven years old—­as she was walking through a country town she met, behind the cemetery, little Chouquet, weeping bitterly, because one of his playmates had stolen two precious liards (mills).  The tears of the small bourgeois, one of those much-envied mortals, who, she imagined, never knew trouble, completely upset her.  She approached him and, as soon as she learned the cause of his grief, she put into his hands all her savings.  He took them without hesitation and dried his eyes.  Wild with joy, she kissed him.  He was busy counting his money, and did not object.  Seeing that she was not repulsed, she threw her arms round him and gave him a hug—­then she ran away.

“What was going on in her poor little head?  Was it because she had sacrificed all her fortune that she became madly fond of this youngster, or was it because she had given him the first tender kiss?  The mystery is alike for children and for those of riper years.  For months she dreamed of that corner near the cemetery and of the little chap.  She stole a sou here and, there from her parents on the chair money or groceries she was sent to buy.  When she returned to the spot near the cemetery she had two francs in her pocket, but he was not there.  Passing his father’s drug store, she caught sight of him behind the counter.  He was sitting between a large red globe and a blue one.  She only loved him the more, quite carried away at the sight of the brilliant-colored globes.  She cherished the recollection of it forever in her heart.  The following year she met him near the school playing marbles.  She rushed up to him, threw her arms round him, and kissed him so passionately that he screamed, in fear.  To quiet him, she gave him all her money.  Three francs and twenty centimes!  A real gold mine, at which he gazed with staring eyes.

“After this he allowed her to kiss him as much as she wished.  During the next four years she put into his hands all her savings, which he pocketed conscientiously in exchange for kisses.  At one time it was thirty sons, at another two francs.  Again, she only had twelve sous.  She wept with grief and shame, explaining brokenly that it had been a poor year.  The next time she brought five francs, in one whole piece, which made her laugh with joy.  She no longer thought of any one but the boy, and he watched for her with impatience; sometimes he would run to meet her.  This made her heart thump with joy.  Suddenly he disappeared.  He had gone