The girl spoke in too recitative a way, having repeated her story so many times already that she knew it by heart.

The doctor's remark was sure to produce an effect, and she herself laughed at it in advance, certain as she was that the others would laugh also.

However, she still retained her candid, touching air.
But she had evidently forgotten some particular, for Sister Hyacinthe, a glance from whom had foreshadowed the doctor's jest, now softly prompted her "And what was it you said to Madame la Comtesse, the superintendent of your ward, Sophie ?" "Ah! yes.

I hadn't brought many bandages for my foot with me, and I said to her, 'It was very kind of the Blessed Virgin to cure me the first day, as I should have run out of linen on the morrow.'" This provoked a fresh outburst of delight.

They all thought her so nice, to have been cured like that! And in reply to a question from Madame de Jonquiere, she also had to tell the story of her boots, a pair of beautiful new boots which Madame la Comtesse had given her, and in which she had run, jumped, and danced about, full of childish delight.