e dogs
being so very violent, especially Turk, who went with Claudine this
evening to the rectory. Why, when I stroked him, to try and pacify him,
I felt his coat standing up on end like so many bristles of a porcupine.
Now, what do you say to that, eh, Father Chatelain--you who know almost
everything?"

"Why, my lad, I, 'who know everything,' say just this, that the beasts
know far more than I do, and can see farther. I remember, in the autumn,
when the heavy rains had so swollen the little river, I was returning
with my team-horses one dark night--I was riding upon Cuckoo, the old
roan horse, and deuce take me if I could make out any spot it would be
safe to wade through, for the night was as dark as the mouth of a pit.
Well, I threw the bridle on old Cuckoo's back, and he soon found what,
I'll answer for it, none of us could have discovered. Now, who taught
the dumb brute to know the safe from the unsafe parts of the stream, let
me ask you?"

"Ay, Father Chatelain, that's what I was waiting to ask you. Who taught
the old roan to discover danger and escape from it so cleverly?"

"The same Almighty wisdom which instructs the swallow to build in our
chimneys, and guides the marten to make his nest among the reeds of our
banks, my lad. Well, Claudine," said the ancient oracle of the kitchen
to the blooming dairymaid, who just then entered, bearing on her arms
two pairs of snowy white sheets, from which an odoriferous smell of sage
and thyme was wafted along,--"well, I make no doubt but Madame Georges
has sent permission for these poor creatures, the blind man and his
child, to sleep here, has she not?"

"These sheets are to prepare beds for them, in the little room at the
end of the passage," said Claudine.

"Go and bid them come in, then, Jean Rene; and you, Claudine, my good
girl, put a couple of chairs near the fire--they will be glad of a good
warm before sitting down to table."

The furious barking of the dogs was now renewed, mingled with the voice
of Jean Rene, who was endeavoring to pacify them; the door of the
kitchen was abruptly opened, and the Schoolmaster and Tortillard entered
with as much precipitation as though they feared a pursuit from some
dangerous foe.

"For the love of heaven, keep off your dogs!" cried the Schoolmaster, in
the utmost terror; "they have been trying to bite us!"

"They have torn a great bit out of my blouse," whined Tortillard,
shivering with cold and pale with fear.

"Do