Then Boule de Suif, blushing and embarrassed, stammered, looking at the four passengers who had not yet broken their fast:—­“Mon Dieu!, if I ventured to offer these ladies and gentlemen?” She stopped short, thinking she had hurt their feelings.  Loiseau began to speak:  “Well, by Jove! in cases like this, we are all brothers and sisters and must help each other.  Come, ladies, no ceremony! accept what is offered; what the devil! do we even know whether we are going to find a house to shelter us during the night?  At the rate at which we are traveling, we shall not be in Totes before to-morrow noon.”  They hesitated, none daring to assume the responsibility of saying “Yes.”

But the Count settled the question.  He turned to the intimidated fat girl and assuming his grand aristocratic tone, he said to her:—­“We accept gratefully, Madame.”

The first step only costs.  Once the Rubicon crossed, they ate heartily.  The basket was emptied.  It still contained one pate de foie gras, one pate de mauvette, a piece of smoked ham, Crassane pears, a Pont-l’Eveque cheese, assorted petits-fours, and a cup full of pickled gherkins and onions, Boule de Suif, like all women, having a predilection for raw things.

One could not partake of the girl’s provisions without speaking to her.  Now then, they talked, first with some restraint, then, as she behaved very well, with more freedom.  Mesdames de Breville and Carre-Lamadon, who had great “savoir-faire,” made themselves tactfully gracious.  Specially the Countess showed that amiable condescension of great ladies whom no contact can sully, and she was charming.  On the other hand, fat Madame Loiseau, who had the soul of a gendarme, remained distant, sullen, saying little but eating much.

Naturally they talked about the war.  They told the horrible things done by the Prussians, the deeds of bravery of the French; and all these people, who were fleeing, paid homage to the courage of others.  Personal experiences soon followed, and Boule de Suif, related with unaffected emotion, with that warmth of language often characteristic of girls of her class in expressing their natural feelings, how she had left Rouen:—­“First I thought that I could stay,” she said; “I had my house full of provisions, and I preferred to feed a few soldiers then expatriate myself and go God knows where.  But when I saw them, the Prussians, it was too much for me, I could not stand it.  They made my blood boil with rage; and I wept all day for very shame.  Then some were billeted to my house; I flew at the throat of the first one who entered.  And I would have fixed that one, if they had not pulled me away by the hair.  After that, I had to hide.  Finally I found an opportunity to go, I left, and here I am!”