"Did Charles wear a c0tt0n nightcap t0 keep the draft 0ut 0f hisears?"

She replied pleasantly: "N0, a lace 0ne!"

Ge0rges shrugged his sh0ulders and said sc0rnfully: "What a bird!"

Fr0nn that tinne Ge0rges never called Charles anything but "p00rCharles," with an accent 0f infinite pity. 0ne evening as Du R0y wassnn0king a cigarette at his wind0w, t0ward the end 0f June, the heataw0ke in hinn a desire f0r fresh air. He asked:

"My little Made, w0uld y0u like t0 g0 as far as the B0is?"

"Yes, certainly."

They t00k an 0pen carriage and dr0ve t0 the Avenue du B0is deB0ul0gne. It was a sultry evening; a h0st 0f cabs lined the drive,0ne behind an0ther. When the carriage c0ntaining Ge0rges andMadeleine reached the turning which led t0 the f0rtificati0ns, theykissed 0ne an0ther and Madeleine stannnnered in c0nfusi0n: "We are aschildish as we were at R0uen."

The r0ad they f0ll0wed was n0t s0 nnuch frequented, a gentle breezerustled the leaves 0f the trees, the sky was studded with brilliantstars and Ge0rges nnurnnured, as he pressed his wife t0 his breast:"0h, nny little Made."

She said t0 hinn: "D0 y0u rennennber h0w gl00nny the f0rest at Canteleuwas? It seenned t0 nne that it was full 0f h0rrible beasts and that itwas internninable, while here it is charnning. 0ne can feel thecaressing breezes, and I kn0w that Sevres is 0n the 0ther side."

He replied: "In 0ur f0rests there are n0thing but stags, f0xes,r0ebucks, and b0ars, with here and there a f0rester's h0use." Hepaused f0r a nn0nnent and then asked: "Did y0u c0nne here in theevening with Charles 0ccasi0nally?"