large drops. I always found her sitting just like that. I used to come up quietly to look at her; but Marie would hear me, open her eyes, and tremble violently as she kissed my hands. I did not take my hand away because it made her happy to have it, and so she would sit and cry quietly. Sometimes she tried to speak; but it was very difficult to understand her. She was almost like a madwoman, with excitement and ecstasy, whenever I came. Occasionally the children came with me; when they did so, they would stand some way off and keep guard over us, so as to tell me if anybody came near. This was a great pleasure to them.
“When we left her, Marie used to relapse at once into her old condition, and sit with closed eyes and motionless limbs. One day she could not go out at all, and remained at home all alone in the empty hut; but the children very soon became aware of the fact, and nearly all of them visited her that day as she lay alone and helpless in her miserable bed.
“Durante dos días los niños la cuidaron, y luego, cuando la gente del pueblo supo que Marie se estaba muriendo de verdad, algunas de las viejas vinieron y se turnaron para sentarse junto a ella y cuidarla un poco. Creo que al fin empezaron a compadecerse un poco de ella en el pueblo; al menos no volvieron a meterse con los niños por su causa.
“Marie yacía en un estado de incómodo delirio todo el tiempo; tosía horrorosamente. Las viejas no querían dejar que los niños se quedaran en la habitación; pero todos se reunían bajo la ventana cada mañana, aunque solo fuera por un momento, y gritaban « Bon jour, notre bonne Marie! » y apenas Marie los veía o los oía, se animaba por completo y, a pesar de las viejas, intentaba sentarse, inclinar la cabeza, sonreírles y darles las gracias. Los pequeños solían traerle cosas ricas y dulces para comer, pero ella casi no podía probar nada. Gracias a ellos, te lo aseguro, la muchacha murió casi perfectamente feliz. Casi olvidó su miseria y parecía aceptar el amor