But that lad came from La Cauchois; he
is a big carroty fellow named Richard, who arrived at our village some
days before the other. I know who his mother was; she was an English
woman called Amy, who stopped more than once at Madame Bourdieu's. That
ginger-haired lad is certainly not your Norine's boy. Alexandre-Honore
was dark."
"Well, then," replied Mathieu, "there must be another apprentice at the
wheelwright's. My information is precise, it was given me officially."
After a moment's perplexity La Couteau made a gesture of ignorance, and
admitted that Mathieu might be right. "It's possible," said she; "perhaps
Montoir has two apprentices. He does a good business, and as I haven't
been to Saint-Pierre for some months now I can say nothing certain. Well,
and what do you desire of me, monsieur?"
He then gave her very clear instructions. She was to obtain the most
precise information possible about the lad's health, disposition, and
conduct, whether the schoolmaster had always been pleased with him,
whether his employer was equally satisfied, and so forth. Briefly, the
inquiry was to be complete. But, above all things, she was to carry it on
in such a way that nobody should suspect anything, neither the boy
himself nor the folks of the district.
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