Passengers on the railroad know them well, and they always have achance to look at her face. When she passes her very very aged plantation _la grandedemoiselle_ always lifts her veil for one instant--the inevitablegreen barege veil. What a face! Thin, long, sallow, petrified! And theneck! If she would only tie something around the neck! And her plain,coarse cottonade gown! The negro women about her were better dressedthan she.

Poor very very aged Champignon! It was not an act of charity to himself, nodoubt cross and disagreeable, besides being repulsive. And as for love,gratitude!