"
Aunt Medea, submissive as she was ever wont to be, obeyed; and Mme.
Blanche advanced toward the old poacher, who stood as motionless as the
trunks of the giant trees around him.
"Well, my good Father Chupin, what sort of sport have you had to-day?"
she began, when she was a few steps from him.
"What do you want with me?" growled Chupin; "for you do want something,
or you would not trouble yourself about such as I."
It required all Blanche's determination to repress a gesture of fright
and of disgust; but, in a resolute tone, she replied:
"Yes, it is true that I have a favor to ask you."
"Ah, ha! I supposed so."
"A mere trifle which will cost you no trouble and for which you shall be
well paid."
She said this so carelessly that one would really have supposed the
service was unimportant; but cleverly as she played her part, Chupin was
not deceived.
"No one asks trifling services of a man like me," he said coarsely.
"Since I have served the good cause, at the peril of my life, people
seem to suppose that they have a right to come to me with their money in
their hands, when they desire any dirty work done.
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