REUNION.

Children are like grown people,--the experiences of others are never of
any use to them.

Jack had been terrified by Madou's story, but he thought of it only as a
frightful tale, or a bloody battle seen at the theatre. The first months
were so happy at the academy, every one was so kind, that he forgot that
Madou for a time had been equally happy.

At table he occupied the next seat to Moronval, drank his wine, shared
his dessert; while the other children, as soon as the cakes and fruit
appeared, rose abruptly from the table. Opposite Jack sat Dr. Hirsch,
whose finances, to judge from his appearance, were in a most deplorable
condition. He enlivened the repast by all sorts of scientific jokes, by
descriptions of surgical operations, by accounts of infectious diseases,
and, in fact, kept his hearers _au courant_ with all the ailments of the
day; and, if he heard of a case of leprosy, of elephantiasis, or of the
plague, in any quarter of the globe, he would nod his head with delight,
and say, "It will be here before long--before long!"

As a neighbor at the table he was not altogether satisfactory: first,
his near-sightedness made him very awkward; and, next, he had a way of
dropping into your plate, or glass, a pinch of powder, or a few drops
from a vial in his pocket The contents of this vial were never the same,
for the doctor made new scientific discoveries each week, but in general
bicarbonate, alkalies, and arsenic (in infinitesimal doses fortunately)
made the base of these medicaments. Jack submitted to these preventives,
and did not venture to say that he thought they tasted very badly.
Occasionally the other professors were invited, and everybody drank the
health of the little De Barancy, every one was enthusiastic over his
sweetness and cleverness. The singing teacher, Labassandre, at the least
joke made by the child, threw himself back in his chair with a loud
laugh, pounded the table with his fist, and wiped his eyes with a corner
of his napkin.

Even D'Argenton, the handsome D'Argenton, relaxed, a pale smile crossed
his big moustache, and his cold blue eyes were turned on the child with
haughty approval. Jack was delighted. He did not understand, nor did he
wish to understand, the signs made to him by Madou, as he waited upon
the table, with a napkin in one hand and a plate in the other. Madou
knew better than any one else the real value of these exaggerated
praises and the vanity of human gre