By dint of talking for talking's sake, and of trying to keep the conversation alive, Madame de Renal found herself saying that her husband had come from Verrieres because he had made a bargain, for the purchase of maize straw, with one of his farmers.
À force de parler pour parler, et de chercher à maintenir la conversation vivante, il arriva à Mme de Rênal de dire que son mari était venu de Verrières parce qu’il avait fait marché, pour de la paille de maïs, avec un de ses fermiers.