Yesterday! And what a day it had been! What weather for a long journey! It had been a long journey, had it not ?' The boy looked vague.

'Oh, it had been of a sufficient length!' Madame toyed with the remnants of her stew.

'It had, perhaps, been a journey from England?
Monsieur was not French, although he had so charming a fluency in the language ?' Her eyes, her whole provincial, inquisitive face begged for information, but the boy was firm.
'We are each of the country God has given us!' he informed her.

Then he added with convincing certainty that madame was without doubt _Parisienne_.
Madame bridled at the soothing little falsehood.
'Alas! nothing so interesting.

She was of the provinces.' 'Provincial! Impossible!' At once the ice was broken; at once they were on the footing of friends, and madame's soul poured forth its secret vanities.
'Monsieur was too kind.