Such pleasant drives as we had , we two big women in the droll wagon , drawn by the little gray donkey that looked as if made of an old trunk , so rusty and rough was he as he went trotting along , his long ears wagging , and his small hoofs clattering over the fine hard road , while Marie sat on the shaft with a long whip , talking and laughing , and giving Andrè a poke now and then , crying ` E! E! houp la ! ' to make him go . We found her a capital little guide and story-teller , for her grandmother had told her all the tales and legends of the neighbourhood , and it was very pleasant to hear her repeat them in pretty peasant French , as we sat among the ruins , while Kate sketched , I took notes , and Marie held the big parasol over us . Some of these stones were charming ; at least as she told them , with her little face changing from gay to sad as she gesticulated most dramatically . The romance of ` Gilles de Bretagne ' was one of her favourites . How he carried off his child-wife when she was only twelve , how he was imprisoned and poisoned , and at last left to starve in a dungeon , and would stand at his window crying , ` Bread , bread ; for the love of God ! ' yet no one dared to give him any , till a poor peasant woman went in the night and gave him half her black loaf . Not once , but every night for six months , though she robbed her children to do it . And when he was dying , it was she who took a priest to him , that he might confess through the bars of his cell . ` So good , ah , so good , this poor woman ! It is beautiful to hear of that , mademoiselle ! ' little Marie would say , with her black eyes full and her lips trembling . But the story she liked best of all was about the peasant girl and her grandmother . ` See then , dear ladies , it was in this way . In the time of the great war many poor people were shot because it was feared they would burn the chateaus . In one of these so sad parties being driven to St. Malo to be shot , was this young girl . Only fifteen , dear ladies , behold how young is this ! and see the brave thing she did ! With her went the old grandmother whom she loved next the good God . They went slowly , she was so old , and one of the officers who guarded them had pity on the pretty girl , and said to her as they were a little apart from the rest , `` Come , you are young , and can run .
I will save you ; it is a pity so fine a little girl should be XXXXX . ''
See behold imprisoned loved make run said shot sketched went