xiii.atthemill

"whatstrangecreatureshumanbeingsare,"saidtheparlor-cattothekitchen-cat;"babetteandrudyhavefallenoutwitheachother.shesitsandcries,andhethinksnomoreabouther."

"thatdoesnotpleasemetohear,"saidthekitchen-cat.

"normeeither,"repliedtheparlor-cat;"butidonottakeittoheart.babettemayfallinlovewiththeredwhiskers,ifshelikes,buthehasnotbeenheresincehetriedtogetontheroof."

thepowersofevilcarryontheirgamebotharoundusandwithinus.rudyknewthis,andthoughtagreatdealaboutit.whatwasitthathadhappenedtohimonthemountain?wasitreallyaghostlyapparition,orafeverdream?rudyknewnothingoffever,oranyotherailment.but,whilehejudgedbabette,hebegantoexaminehisownconduct.hehadallowedwildthoughtstochaseeachotherinhisheart,andafiercetornadotobreakloose.couldheconfesstobabette,indeed,everythoughtwhichinthehouroftemptationmighthaveledhimtowrongdoing?hehadlostherring,andthatverylosshadwonhimbacktoher.couldsheexpecthimtoconfess?hefeltasifhisheartwouldbreakwhilehethoughtofit,andwhilesomanymemorieslingeredonhismind.hesawheragain,assheoncestoodbeforehim,alaughing,spiritedchild;manylovingwords,whichshehadspokentohimoutofthefulnessofherlove,camelikearayofsunshineintohisheart,andsoonitwasallsunshineashethoughtofbabette.butshemustalsoconfessshewaswrong;thatsheshoulddo.

hewenttothemill-hewenttoconfession.itbeganwithakiss,andendedwithrudybeingconsideredtheoffender.itwassuchagreatfaulttodoubtbabette'struth-itwasmostabominableofhim.suchmistrust,suchviolence,wouldcausethembothgreatscertainlywasverytrue,sheknewthat;andthereforebabettepreachedhimalittlesermon,withwhichshewasherselfmuchamused,andduringthepreachingofwhichshelookedquitelovely.sheacknowledged,however,thatononepointrudywasright.hergodmother'snephewwasafop:sheintendedtoburnthebookwhichhehadgivenher,sothatnottheslightestthingshouldremaintoremindherofhim.

"well,thatquarrelisallover,"saidthekitchen-cat."rudyiscomeback,andtheyarefriendsagain,whichtheysayisthegreatestofallpleasures."

"iheardtheratssayonenight,"saidthekitchen-cat,"thatthegreatestpleasureintheworldwastoeattallowcandlesandtofeastonrancidbacon.whicharewetobelieve,theratsorthelovers?"

"neitherofthem,"saidtheparlor-cat;"itisalwaysthesafestplantobelievenothingyouhear."

thegreatesthappinesswascomingforrudyandbabette.thehappyday,asitiscalled,thatis,theirwedding-day,wasnearathand.theywerenottobemarriedatthechurchatbex,noratthemiller'shouse;babette'sgodmotherwishedthenuptialstobesolemnizedatmontreux,intheprettylittlechurchinthatmillerwasveryanxiousthatthisarrangementshouldbeagreedaloneknewwhatthenewly-marriedcouplewouldreceivefrombabette'sgodmother,andheknewalsothatitwasaweddingpresentwellworthaconcession.thedaywasfixed,andtheyweretotravelasfarasvilleneuvetheeveningbefore,tobeintimeforthesteamerwhichsailedinthemorningformontreux,andthegodmother'sdaughtersweretodressandadornthebride.

"hereinthishousethereoughttobeawedding-daykept,"saidtheparlor-cat,"orelseiwouldnotgiveamewforthewholeaffair."

"thereisgoingtobegreatfeasting,"repliedthekitchen-cat."ducksandpigeonshavebeenkilled,andawholeroebuckhangsonthewall.itmakesmelickmylipswhenithinkofit."

"to-morrowmorningtheywillbeginthejourney."

yes,to-morrow!