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As she hesitated, wondering if her mother would not be poisoned from the odor which came from the heaps of things outside, Grain-of-Salt said impatiently: "Hurry up! The rag pickers will be here in a moment and I'll have to get busy." "Does the doctor know what these rooms are like?" she asked. "Sure! He came to this one lots of times to see the Baroness." That decided her.
It seemed that the flowers belonged to no one, for Palikare was allowed to eat them if he wished, yet she was afraid to pick the tiniest one without first asking Grain-of-Salt. "Do you want to sell them?" he asked. "No, just to put a few in our room," she replied. "Oh, if that's it you may take as many as you like, but if you are going to sell them, I might do that myself.
Grain-of-Salt made a sign to Perrine to follow him, and Palikare, now that he knew that he was not going into the market, trotted beside her docilely. She did not even have to pull his rope. Who was this prospective buyer? A man? A woman?
But Grain-of-Salt would not consent to do this; he declared that the distance was too far for him. "You go with the lady alone," he said to Perrine, "and don't be too cut up about your donkey. He'll be all right with her. She's a good woman." "But how shall I find my way back to Charonne?" asked Perrine, bewildered. She dreaded to be lost in the great city.
When he spoke of such a great doctor who made his rounds in a carriage, Perrine was afraid that she would not have enough money to pay him, and timidly she questioned Grain-of-Salt, not daring to ask outright what she wanted to know. Finally he understood. "What you'd have to pay?" he asked.
These were dangerous words that might affect the sale, so Grain-of-Salt thought he ought to say something. "He's the cleverest donkey that ever was!" he cried. "He knows he's going to be sold, and he's doin' this 'cause he loves us and don't want ter leave us!" "Are you so sure of that, Grain-of-Salt?" called out a voice in the crowd. "Zooks! who knows my name here?" cried the one addressed.
On Monday, having broken loose, he had trotted up to Grain-of-Salt, who was occupied in sorting out the rags and bones that had just arrived, and he stood beside him. The man was about to pour out a drink from the bottle that was always beside him when he saw Palikare, his eyes fixed on him, his neck stretched out. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
He seemed to know by instinct that this was a market where horses and donkeys were sold. He was afraid. Perrine coaxed him, commanded him, begged him, but he still refused to move. Grain-of-Salt thought that if he pushed him from behind he would go forward, but Palikare, who would not permit such familiarity, backed and reared, dragging Perrine with him.
"I'll give thirty francs, that's ten more'n I said, 'cause his cunning shows that this donkey is a good boy, but hurry up and take the money or I'll buy another." Grain-of-Salt consulted Perrine with a glance; he made her a sign that she ought to accept the offer. But she seemed stunned at such a fraud.
Hope had given the sick woman an appetite. She had eaten nothing for two days; now she ate a half of the roll. "You see," said Perrine, gleefully. "Everything will be all right soon," answered her mother with a smile. Perrine went to the house to inquire of Grain-of-Salt what steps she should take to sell the wagon and dear Palikare. As for the wagon, nothing was easier.
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