"How do you feel to-day--Master?" asked Brigit, suddenly, forcing him to
look at her.
His eyes as her gaze met his were so profoundly tragic that she
shuddered, and he did not answer.
"I think I might eat more if I had my teeth," observed the bridegroom,
"and I hear there is to be rabbit."
"Hush, father! you _know_ you can't eat with your teeth. You are to have
_minced_ rabbit, with plenty of gravy." Madame Chalumeau, whose bright
blue dress was very tight and warm, wiped her face on her handkerchief.
Brigit looked round in despair. It was horrible; the heat, the smell of
food, the clatter of knives and forks.
For a long time she heard nothing, and then found that M. Thibaut the
Mayor was trying to persuade Victor to play. "It would be very
pleasant," urged the good man, with evident pride in his own tact, "and
the young people might dance."
Joyselle burst out laughing. "Yes, I will play--for the young people to
dance. That is what fiddlers are for," he answered.