n event, and gave a fillip to the inertness of Madame de
Fontanges, whose curiosity was excited.

"A-t-il bonne mine, Charlotte?"

"Oui, madame, c'est un bel homme."

"Et ou est-il?"

"Avec Nicholas."

"Et Monsieur?"

"Monsieur dort."

"Il faut l'eveiller. Faites bien mes compliments au Monsieur de
Fontanges, et dites-lui que je me trouve fort malade, et que je voudrais
lui parier. Entends-tu, Celeste; je parle a toi."

"Oui, madame," replied the girl, throwing some orange flowers off her
lap, and rising to deliver her message.

M. de Fontanges, who, like most of the Europeans, slept through the
hottest portion of the day, rose in compliance with his wife's message,
and made his appearance in the boudoir, dressed in a white cotton jacket
and trousers. A few polite inquiries after the health of Madame de
Fontanges, which, as he had conjectured from similar previous
occurrences, was not worse than usual, were followed by his receiving
from her the information of Newton's arrival, coupled with an
observation, that it would amuse her if the prisoner were interrogated
in her presence.

Newton was summoned to the boudoir, where M. de Fontanges, who spoke
very good English, received from him the history of his disasters, and
translated them into French, to gratify the curiosity of his wife.

"C'est un beau garcon," observed M. de Fontanges. "Mais que faire? Il
est prisonnier. Il faut l'envoyer a mon frere, le gouverneur."

"Il est joli garcon," replied Madame de Fontanges.

"Donnez-lui des habits, Fontanges; et ne l'envoyez pas encore."

"Et pourquoi, mon amie?"

"Je voudrais lui apprendre le Francais."

"Cela ne se peut pas, ma chere; il est prisonnier."

"Cela se peut, Monsieur de Fontanges," replied the lady.

"Je n'ose pas," continued the husband.

"Moi j'ose," replied the lady, decidedly.

"Je ne voudrais pas," said the gentleman.

"Moi, je veux," interrupted the lady.

"Mais il faut etre raisonnable, madame."

"II faut m'obeir, monsieur."

"Mais------"

"Pschut!" replied the lady; "c'est une affaire decidee. Monsieur le
gouverneur ne parle pas l'Anglais. C'est _absolument necessaire_ que le
jeune homme apprenne notre langue; et c'est mon plaisir de l'enseigner.
Au revoir, Monsieur de Fontanges. Charlotte, va chercher des habits."

Chapter XXI

"'Tis pleasing to be school'd in a strange tongue
By female lips and eyes; that is, I mean
When both the teacher and the