Stranica 61 [61]
YVON AND FINETTE
Every one had a word of advice to offer; even the peas¬
ants, as wheelwrights and carpenters, were not the last to
make a show of their knowledge. This gave the steward
courage; he approached the baron, took off his cap, and,
scratching his head,
‘My lord," said he, "in the house that you see shining
yonder among the trees there lives a woman who does
things such as nobody else can do. Only persuade her to
lend you her tongs, and, in my opinion, they will hold till
morning.”
The baron made a sign, and ten peasants ran to the cot¬
tage of Finette, who very obligingly lent them her gold
tongs. ‘They were put in the place of the trace; the coach¬
man cracked his whip, and off went the carriage like a
feather.
Every one rejoiced, but the joy did not last long. A
hundred steps farther, lo! the bottom of the carriage gave
way; little more, and the noble Kerver family would have
sunk quite out of sight. The wheelwrights and the car¬
penters set to work at once; they sawed planks, nailed them
down fast, and in the twinkling of an eye repaired the
accident. The coachman cracked his whip and the horses
started, when, bebold! half of the carriage was left behind;
the Baroness Kerver sat motionless by the side of the bride,
while Yvon and the baron were carried off at full gallop.
Here was a new difficulty. Three times was the carriage
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