The manager interrupted her to make a joke.
“I suppose they were government matches, then?”
She did not understand him, and went on:
“Very likely. At any rate, the fourth caught
fire, and I lit my candle, and went into my room to
go to bed; but in a quarter of an hour I fancied that
I smelt something burning, and I have always been terribly
afraid of fire. If ever we have an accident it
will not be my fault, I assure you. I am terribly
nervous since our chimney was on fire, as I told you;
so I got up, and hunted about everywhere, sniffing
like a dog after game, and at last I noticed that
my umbrella was burning. Most likely a match had
fallen between the folds and burned it. You can
see how it has damaged it.”
The manager had taken his cue, and asked her:
“What do you estimate the damage at?”
She did not know what to say, as she was not certain
what value to put on it, but at last she replied:
“Perhaps you had better get it done yourself.
I will leave it to you.”
He, however, naturally refused.
“No, madame, I cannot do that. Tell me
the amount of your claim, that is all I want to know.”
“Well, I think that—Look here, monsieur,
I do not want to make any money out of you, so I will
tell you what we will do. I will take my umbrella
to the maker, who will re-cover it in good, durable
silk, and I will bring the bill to you. Will
that suit you, monsieur?”
“Perfectly, madame; we will settle it so.
Here is a note for the cashier, who will repay you
whatever it costs you.”
He gave Mme. Oreille a slip of paper, who took
it, got up and went out, thanking him, for she was
in a hurry to escape lest he should change his mind.
She went briskly through the streets, looking out
for a really good umbrella maker, and when she found
a shop which appeared to be a first-class one, she
went in, and said, confidently:
“I want this umbrella re-covered in silk, good
silk. Use the very best and strongest you have;
I don’t mind what it costs.”
The coach for Havre was ready to leave Criquetot,
and all the passengers were waiting for their names
to be called out, in the courtyard of the Commercial
Hotel kept by Monsieur Malandain, Jr.
It was a yellow wagon, mounted on wheels which had
once been yellow, but were now almost gray through
the accumulation of mud. The front wheels were
very small, the back ones, high and fragile, carried
the large body of the vehicle, which was swollen like
the belly of an animal. Three white horses, with
enormous heads and great round knees, were the first
things one noticed. They were harnessed ready
to draw this coach, which had something of the appearance
of a monster in its massive structure. The horses
seemed already asleep in front of the strange vehicle.
