sured; but, then, you know
there's a deal of difference between a cow and a man."

These not very clear physiognomical reflections of Claudine, touching
the effect of light or dark skins in the human and animal race, were
interrupted by the return of Jean Rene, blowing his fingers with
animation as he had before blown his soup.

"Oh, how cold! how cold it is this night!" exclaimed he, on entering;
"it is enough to freeze one to death; it is a pretty deal more snug and
comfortable in-doors than out this bitter night. Oh, how cold it is!"

"Why,--

'The frost that cometh from North and East
Biteth the most and ceaseth the least.'

Don't you know that, my lad?" said the old superintendent Chatelain.
"But who was it that rang so late?"

"A poor blind man and a boy who leads him about, Father Chatelain."

"And what does this poor blind man want?" inquired Chatelain.

"The poor man and his son were going by the cross-road to Louvres, and
have lost themselves in the snow; and as the cold is enough to turn a
man into an icicle, and the night is pitch dark, the poor blind father
has come to entreat permission for himself and lad to pass the night on
the farm; he says he shall be for ever thankful for leave to lie on a
little straw under a hovel, or in any out-building."

"Oh, as for that, I am quite sure that Madame Georges, who never refuses
charity to any unfortunate being, will willingly permit them to do so;
but we must first acquaint her with it; go, Claudine, and tell her the
whole story." Claudine disappeared.

"And where is this poor man waiting?" asked Father Chatelain.

"In the little barn just by."

"But why in the barn? why put him there?"

"Bless you, if I had left him in the yard, the dogs would have eaten him
up alive! Why, Father Chatelain, it was no use for me to call out
'Quiet, Medor! come here, Turk! down, Sultan!' I never saw dogs in such
a fury. And, besides, we don't use our dogs on the farm to fly at poor
folks, as they are trained to do at other places."

"Well, my lads, it seems that the 'share for the poor' has not been laid
aside in vain to-night. But try and sit a little closer; there, that'll
do; now put two more plates and knives and forks for this blind
traveller and his boy, for I feel quite certain what Madame Georges's
answer will be, and that she will desire them to be housed here for the
night."

"It is really a thing I can't make out," said Jean Rene, "about th