FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160  
161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   >>   >|  
; and he noted with some concern his enemy's quick, springy step, the clear and steady eye. He still ignored the poet as completely as though he did not exist. Every Friday night the table was given up to the governor's gentlemen councillors, friends, and officers. Victor and the Chevalier were on this list, as were the vicomte and D'Herouville. Usually these were enjoyable evenings. Victor became famous as a raconteur, and the Chevalier lost some of his taciturnity in this friendly intercourse. D'Herouville's conduct was irreproachable in every sense. One day the Chevalier entered one of the school-rooms. In his arms he held a small white child which had sprained its weak ankle while playing on the lumber pile outside the convent of the Ursulines. Sister Benie was quick to note how tenderly he held the sobbing child. "Give him to me, Monsieur," she said, her velvet eyes moist with pity. The Chevalier placed the little boy in her arms, and he experienced a strange thrill as he noticed the manner in which she wrapt the boy to her heart. How often Breton's mother, his nurse, had taken him to her breast that way! And he stood there marveling over that beautiful mystery which God had created, for the wonder of man, the woman and the child. "I chanced to be passing and heard his cry," he said, diffidently. "Playing the good Samaritan?" asked a voice from the window. The Sister and the Chevalier looked around and saw the vicomte leaning on the window-sill. "Why was it not my happiness to tarry by that lumber-pile. I saw the lad.'" "Ah, it is you, Vicomte?" said the Chevalier, pleasantly. "Yes, Chevalier. Will you walk with me?" Being without excuse, the Chevalier joined him, and together they proceeded toward the quarters. Sister Benie stared after them till they had disappeared around the corner of the building. "Chevalier," said the vicomte, "do you remember Henri de Leviston?" "De Leviston?" The Chevalier frowned. "Yes; I recollect him. Why?" "He is here." "In Quebec?" "Yes. He came in this morning from Montreal, where he is connected with the Associates. Was he not in your company three or four years ago? He was dismissed, so I heard, for prying into De Guitaut's private despatches." "I remember the incident. I was the one who denounced him. It was a disagreeable duty, but De Guitaut had put me on De Leviston's tracks. It was unavoidable." "You had best beware of h
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160  
161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Chevalier

 
Sister
 

vicomte

 

Leviston

 

Herouville

 

Guitaut

 
window
 
lumber
 

remember

 

Victor


excuse

 

joined

 

diffidently

 

leaning

 

looked

 
Playing
 

Samaritan

 
happiness
 

Vicomte

 

pleasantly


passing

 

chanced

 

prying

 
private
 

despatches

 

dismissed

 

incident

 

unavoidable

 
beware
 

tracks


denounced

 

disagreeable

 
company
 

corner

 

disappeared

 

building

 
quarters
 
stared
 

frowned

 

connected


Associates
 

Montreal

 

morning

 

recollect

 

Quebec

 

proceeded

 

manner

 
evenings
 

famous

 
raconteur