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He was tired with a long day's work, and stood with his hand on the mane of one of the animals, waiting till they had done, and thinking all the while of Barbaïk, when a voice came out of the gorse close by. 'What is the matter, Jégu? You mustn't despair yet. The young man glanced up in surprise, and asked who was there. 'It is I, the brownie of the lake, replied the voice.
'Take this, she said; 'to-day at any rate you shall dine well, and the old woman took it, gazing at Téphany the while. 'Those who help others deserve to be helped, she answered; 'your eyes are still red because that miser Barbaïk has forbidden you to speak to the young man from Plover.
Well, this being the sort of person Barbaik was, it is easy to guess at her anger when one day she found Tephany talking outside the cowhouse to young Denis, who was nothing more than a day labourer from the village of Plover.
Are they really pearls? he asked, falling on his knees also, and looking up at Tephany he perceived others still more beautiful rolling down the girl's cheeks. 'Take care not to let any of the neighbours hear of it, Denis, said Barbaik. 'Of course you shall have your share, but nobody else shall get a single one. Cry on, my dear, cry on, she continued to Tephany.
Perhaps it might have been better for Barbaik if she had left herself a little time to rest and to think about other things, for soon she grew to love money for its own sake, and only gave herself and Tephany the food and clothes they absolutely needed. And as for poor people she positively hated them, and declared that such lazy creatures had no business in the world.
I can never dance, except with my husband. Oh, you wretched dwarf, I will never, never forgive you! In spite of her fierce words, no one knew better than Barbaik how to put her pride in her pocket when it suited her, and after receiving an invitation to a wedding, she begged the brownie to get her a horse to ride there.
Perhaps it might have been better for Barbaïk if she had left herself a little time to rest and to think about other things, for soon she grew to love money for its own sake, and only gave herself and Téphany the food and clothes they absolutely needed. And as for poor people, she positively hated them, and declared that such lazy creatures had no business in the world.
She felt half choked at the sight of their greediness, and wanted to rush from the hall, and though Barbaik caught her arm to prevent this, and said all sorts of tender words which she thought would make the girl weep the more, Tephany with a violent effort forced back her tears, and wiped her eyes. 'Is she finished already? cried Barbaik, in a tone of disappointment. 'Oh, try again, my dear.
'Denis is a good workman, as you know very well, answered Téphany, red with anger, 'and he puts by money too, and soon he will be able to take a farm for himself. 'Nonsense, cried Barbaïk, 'he will never save enough for a farm till he is a hundred. I would sooner see you in your grave than the wife of a man who carries his whole fortune on his back.
You might have walked a whole day without meeting any one happier or more contented, for he had a large farm, plenty of money, and, above all, a daughter called Barbaïk, the most graceful dancer and the best-dressed girl in the whole country side.
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