Page:Stories by Foreign Authors (French II).djvu/99

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94
THE VIRGIN'S GOD-CHILD.

had happened to them, our little Dinorah was baptized, and the apparition had vanished again into the chapel. But pray, sir, do not think of disputing with Dinorah here, or with any of the good folk of this province, as to whether it really was the Blessed Virgin, or a distinguished lady from Paris, who was sketching at that time in the neighborhood, and hunting out cromlechs and other antiquities and curiosities. So now you see it was no bad joke of mine, but that it is in good, downright earnest that we call Dinorah the little saint, and the Virgin's god-daughter!"

I looked inquiringly at Dinorah, who replied, half in anger and half in embarrassment:

"Guiller can lie, even while telling the truth; but, however, no one can alter what God willed should happen. The dog may bark at the moon, indeed; but the moon does not, on that account, fall from the sky."

So saying, she went away with a quick step, and soon disappeared behind the rocks.

We took the same way more slowly. The miller went on rattling for some time, but I did not heed him. The little legend I had just heard had in no way diminished my interest in Dinorah. I knew well that the people in Brittany are always pleased with stories of some wonderful distinction paid to one or other of themselves by the Lord of Heaven, or by some of His saints. Such highly favored ones are objects of pride to a whole