No. 1520
attempts to give some idea of the husband's pronunciation by
transforming all his r's into l's. Here is an example: "Je
pelz ma povle femme, que fesai-ze, moi malhureux?... M'amie
je me meuls, je suis pis que tlepasse... je ne scai que
faize," &c.--L.
When he had done all that he could for her, she asked for the cross, and
it was brought. On seeing this, the good man flung himself upon a bed in
despair, crying and saying in his thick speech--
"Ah God! I am losing my poor wife! What shall I do, unhappy man that I
am?"
After uttering many such complaints, he perceived that there was no one
in the room but a young servant-maid, passably fair and buxom, and he
called to her in a whisper.
"Sweetheart," he said, "I am dying. I am more than dead to see your
mistress dying in this manner. I know not what to do or say, except
that I commend myself to you, and beg you to care for my house and my
children. Take therefore the keys from my side, and order the household,
for I myself can attend to nothing more."
The poor girl had pity on him and comforted him, begging him not to
despair, so that, if she must lose her mistress, she might not also lose
her good master.
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