THE EQUINOX
She told him that she was staying at the Savoy Hotel at
Fontainebleau, and had gone for a walk and lost her way in
the forest; and she asked him how far was it to the nearest
village, and would he please take her there, and she would
give him money.
All this while Placide lit his fire, and proceeded to cook
beans.
He did not understand her, or try to understand her.
There was a strange animal in his hut, possibly a human
animal ; it might like beans; he would offer it beans.
It was
not his affair; his affair was to chop—chop—chop—chop.
Diana was a little afraid of this silent beast at first.
But
the offer of food seemed kindly, and she ate some beans lest
he should take offence, found them surprisingly good, nodded
satisfaction, and even asked for more.
This part concluded, she went to the door:
The rain
poured unceasingly; the forest stood in pools; and it was too
dark to tell one tree from another.
The woodcutter joined
her, shook his head, said “ far " and " to-morrow," and pointed
to a heap of straw.
This strong-minded young lady knew when to bow to the
inevitable; she took an armful of the straw, and retiring with
it to the other end of the hut, made the sleep sign which every
savage understands, and lay down.
Placide Gervez grunted assent, and lying down with a
surly “ Bon soir" dropped instantly to sleep.
How was he
to know what dreams would echo his quarter of an hour with
the two philosophers of Paris?
About eleven o‘clock the next morning some of the well-
horsed search-party from Fontainebleau reached the hut.
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