The day had been spent pleasantly at Marchiennes; there had been a delightful lunch with the manager of the Forges, then an interesting visit to the workshops and to the neighbouring glass works to occupy the afternoon; and as they were now going home in the limpid decline of the beautiful winter day, Cécile had had the whim to drink a glass of milk, as she noticed a little farm near the edge of the road.
La journée a Marchiennes s'était passée gaiement, un déjeuner aimable chez le directeur des Forges, puis une intéressante visite aux ateliers et a une verrerie du voisinage, pour occuper l'apres-midi; et, comme on rentrait enfin, par ce déclin limpide d'un beau jour d'hiver, Cécile avait eu la fantaisie de boire une tasse de lait, en apercevant une petite ferme, qui bordait la route.