The weight is greater than I thought." "Have you come far thus laden ?" "No; our people are nutting in the Bois des Ronces; I came on before, because I don't like to leave father alone for long at a time and, as I was coming, I wished to bring my share with me." "No one can reproach you with shirking work, Reine, nor of being afraid to take hold of things.

To see you all day trotting about the farm, no one would think you had been to school in the city, like a young lady." And Claudet's countenance became irradiated with a glow of innocent and tender admiration.

It was evident that his eyes looked with delight into the dark limpid orbs of Reine, on her pure and rosy lips, and on her partly uncovered neck, the whiteness of which two little brown moles only served to enhance.
"How can it be helped ?" replied she, smiling, "it must be done; when there is no man in the house to give orders, the women must take a hand themselves.

My father was not very strong when my mother died, and since he had that attack he has become quite helpless, and I have had to take his place." While she spoke, Claudet took hold of the bundle, and, lifting it as if it had been a feather, threw it over his shoulder.

They walked on, side by side, in the direction of La Thuliere; the sun had set, and a penetrating moisture, arising from the damp soil of the adjacent pasture lands, encircled them in a bluish fog.
"So he is worse, your father, is he ?" said Claudet, after a moment's silence.
"He can not move from his armchair, his mental faculties are weakening, and I am obliged to amuse him like a child.