.

Did he wish to say that his royal Highness would never remember the
good lessons received at the academy, or did he mean that he would never
forget them? But what could this poor black boy know about it?

Madame Constant announced, in pompous terms, that she was willing to pay
a quarter in advance. Moronval waved his hand condescendingly, as if to
say, "There is no need of that."

But the old house told a far different tale,--the shabby furniture, the
dismantled walls, the worn carpets, as well as the threadbare coat of
Moronval himself, and the shiny scant robe of the little woman with the
long chin.

But that which proved the fact more than anything else was the eagerness
with which the pair went to find in another room the superb register in
which they inscribed the ages of the pupils, their names, and the date
of their entrance into the academy.

While these important facts were being written, the black boy remained
crouched in front of the fire, which seemed quite useless while he
absorbed all its heat. The chimney, which at first had refused to
consume the least bit of wood, as stomachs after too long fasting reject
food, had now revived, and a beautiful red flame was to be seen. The
negro, with his head on his hands, his eyes fixed as in a trance, looked
like a little black silhouette against a scarlet background. His mouth
opened in intense delight, and his eyes were perfectly round. He seemed
to be drinking in the heat and the light with the greatest avidity,
while outside the snow had begun to fall silently and slowly.

Jack was very sad, for he fancied that Moronval had a wicked look,
notwithstanding his honeyed words. And, then, in this strange house
the poor child felt himself utterly lost and desolate, discarded by his
mother, and rendered still more miserable by the vague idea that these
colored pupils, from every corner of the globe, had brought with them an
atmosphere of unhappiness and of restlessness. He remembered, too, the
Jesuits' college, so fresh and sweet; the fine trees, the green-houses,
the whole appearance of refinement, and the kind hand of the Superior
laid for a moment upon his head.

Ah! why had he not remained there? And as this occurred to him, he said
to himself, that perhaps they would not have him here either. He looked
toward the table. There by the big register the husband and wife were
busy whispering with Madame Constant. They looked at him, and he caught
a word now a