—­No, Veronica.  They agreed very well among themselves.  They had different ideas at that time to what we have now.

—­One evening then Monsieur Fortin had drunk at table a little more than usual.  I was going to bring the dessert and I leaned over to take up a dish which was before him.  As the dish was heavy and rather far from my hand, I supported myself on the back of his chair, and involuntarily I rubbed against his body with my stomach.  “Oh, oh,” he said, “if that happens again I shall pinch that big breast.”

—­What!  Monsieur Fortin used that expression?

—­Yes, sir, and many others besides.  I blush when I think of it....  Then I looked at him quite astounded.  He began to laugh.  I went to look for the cheese, and I passed again beside him on purpose, and supported myself on his chair again to place it on the table.  “Ah,” he cried, “she is beginning again. O, mammosa virgo!”—­he repeated it so many times to me that I remember it—­“so much the worse, I keep my promises.”  And he pinched me.

—­Where?

—­Where he had said.  He made no error.  I blushed for shame and drew back as quickly as possible:  “How can he,” I said to myself, “use Latin words to deceive poor women?” Then he cried:  “Are you ticklish?”—­Yes, sir.  “Ah, you are ticklish.  The big Veronica is ticklish!  Who would have believed it?” And he laughed, but I saw clearly that his laugh was put on, and that something else preoccupied him.  And from that moment, each time that I passed near him and stooped down to clear away, he tried to pinch me where he could:  “And there,” he said, “are you ticklish? are you ticklish there?” I was so stupefied that I could not get over it.  “It is a little too much, Holy Mother of God,” I said to myself, “a man like him! to pinch me in this way! who would believe it!  One would not credit it, if one saw it!  Ah, I will see how far he will go, and to-morrow I will give him an account.”  At last, when I saw that he would not stop it, and that he was going too far, I said to him severely:  Monsieur le Cure, if you continue to tease me in this way, you shall see something.

—­What shall I see? he said getting up suddenly, I want to see it directly.  Ah, mammosa virgo! you threaten your master!  Wait, wait, I will teach you respect.

And, pretending to punish me, he caught hold of as much as he could grasp with both hands; yes, sir, as much as he could.  Ah, I was very angry, God can tell you so.

—­And did he stop?

—­Not at all, sir; quite the contrary.  I escaped from his hands, and I turned round the table saying:  “Ah, sweet Jesus, what is going to happen?  Divine Saviour!  How far will he dare to go?” To complete the misfortune, I let the lamp fall, and it went out.  Then he put himself into a great passion, and soon caught me.  “You have upset the oil,” he cried.  “I will teach you to spill the oil.”  He held me with all his might.  Then I got angry in earnest, in earnest, you know.