three times, stooped down, and appeared
to be seeking on the ground the little red and blue check-handkerchief
spread over his knees. He remained thus bent for some seconds, and, when
he raised himself, he drew his hand across his moustache.

"How well father knows you!"

"How rightly has he guessed that you would love us!"

"Well, well, children; pass over that!--Let's come to the part where the
general speaks of my little Agricola, and of Gabriel, my wife's adopted
child. Poor woman! when I think that in three months perhaps--but
come, child, read, read," added the old soldier, wishing to conceal his
emotion.

"I still hope against hope, my dear Eva, that these pages will one
day reach you, and therefore I wish to insert in them all that can be
interesting to Dagobert. It will be a consolation to him, to have some
news of his family. My father, who is still foreman at Mr. Hardy's,
tells me that worthy man has also taken into his house the son of old
Dagobert. Agricola works under my father, who is enchanted with him.
He is, he tells me, a tall and vigorous lad, who wields the heavy
forge hammer as if it were a feather, and is light-spirited as he is
intelligent and laborious. He is the best workman on the establishment;
and this does not prevent him in the evening, after his hard day's work,
when he returns home to his mother, whom he truly loves, from making
songs and writing excellent patriotic verses. His poetry is full of fire
and energy; his fellow-workmen sing nothing else, and his lays have the
power to warm the coldest and the most timid hearts."

"How proud you must be of your son, Dagobert," said Rose, in admiration;
"he writes songs."

"Certainly, it is all very fine--but what pleases me best is, that he is
good to his mother, and that he handles the hammer with a will. As
for the songs, before he makes a 'Rising of the People,' or a
'Marseillaise,' he will have had to beat a good deal of iron; but where
can this rascally sweet Agricola have learned to make songs at all?--No
doubt, it was at school, where he went, as you will see, with his
adopted brother Gabriel."

At this name of Gabriel, which reminded them of the imaginary being whom
they called their guardian angel, the curiosity of the young girls was
greatly excited. With redoubled attention, Blanche continued in these
words:

"The adopted brother of Agricola, the poor deserted child whom the wife
of our good Dagobert so generously took in,