, "No, sir; I can truthfully say I never heard such a
pronunciation." The audience drank his words.

"Sir," cried the glad preceptor, "'tis toil have p'oduce it! Toil of
the teacher, in_dust_ry of the chil'run! But it has p'oduce' _beside_!
Sir, look--that school! Since one year commencing the A B C--and now
spelling word' of eight syllabl'!"

"Not _this_ school?"

"Sir, you shall see--or, more p'operly, hear. First spelling!"

"Yes," said the stranger, seeing Sidonie rise, "I'd like to hear that
class;" and felt Chat-oue looking at him again.

CHAPTER XI.

LIGHT, LOVE, AND VICTORY.

The bell tapped, and they came forth to battle. There was the line,
there was the leader. The great juncture of the day was on him. Was
not here the State's official eye? Did not victory hover overhead? His
reserve, the darling regiment, the flower of his army, was dressing
for the final charge. There was Claude. Next him, Sidonie!--and
Etienne, and Madelaine, Henri and Marcelline,--all waiting for the
word--the words--of eight syllables! Supreme moment! Would any betray?
Banish the thought! Would any fail?

He waited an instant while two or three mothers bore out great
armfuls of slumbering or fretting infancy and a number of young men
sank down into the vacated chairs. Then he stepped down from the
platform, drew back four or five yards from the class, opened the
spelling-book, scanned the first word, closed the book with his finger
at the place, lifted it high above his head, and cried:

"Claude! Claude, my brave scholar, always perfect, ah you ready?" He
gave the little book a half whirl round, and dashed forward toward the
chosen scholar, crying as he came:

"In-e-rad-i-ca-bility!"

Claude's face suddenly set in a stony vacancy, and with his eyes
staring straight before him he responded:

"I-n, in-, e, inerad-, r-a-d, rad-, inerad-, ineraddy-, ineradica-,
c-a, ca, ineradica-, ineradicabili-, b-i-elly-billy, ineradicabili-,
ineradicabili-, t-y, ty, ineradicability."

"Right! Claude, my boy! my always good scholar, right!" The master
drew back to his starting-place as he spoke, re-opened the book, shut
it again, lifted it high in air, cried, "Madelaine, my dear chile,
prepare!" whirled the book and rushed upon her with--

"In-de-fat-i-ga-bil-ly-ty!"

Madelaine turned to stone and began:

"I-n, een, d-e, de-, inde-, indefat-, indefat--fat--f-a-t, fat,
indefat, indefatty, i, ty, indefati-, indefatiga-, g-a, ga,