She wore a simple white gown with a bunch of roses at the belt, and a broad hat lined with red that shaded her face and gave it a warmth it did not possess.
"Dear Madame!" said the Cure, rising to his feet and coming towards her.
"I have told you before that I will have nothing but 'Madelinette,' dear Cure," she replied, with a smile, and gave him her hand.

She turned to Louis, who had risen also, and putting a hand on his arm pressed him gently into his chair, then, with a swift, almost casual, caress of his hair, placed on the table the basket of flowers she was carrying, and began to arrange them.
"Dear Louis," she said presently, and as though en passant, "I have dismissed Tardif to-day--I hope you won't mind these dull domestic details, Cure," she added.
The Cure nodded and turned his head towards the window musingly.

He was thinking that she had done a wise thing in dismissing Tardif, for the man had evil qualities, and he was hoping that he would leave the parish now.
The Seigneur nodded.

"Then he will go.

I have dismissed him--I have a temper--many times, but he never went.