ver dreamed of that, eh?" continued the lady. "But, of course
not; nobody did but me. Some of those Americains, I suppose, knew it;
but who would ever ask them? Here in Royal Street, in New Orleans, where
we people know nothing and care nothing but for meat, drink, and
pleasure, he was only Dr. Mossy, who gave pills. My faith! General, no
wonder you were disappointed in your son, for you thought the same. Ah!
yes, you did! But why did you not ask me, his old playmate? I knew
better. I could have told you how your little son stood head and
shoulders above the crowd. I could have told you some things too
wonderful to believe. I could have told you that his name was known and
honored in the scientific schools of Paris, of London, of Germany! Yes!
I could have shown you"--she warmed as she proceeded--"I could have
shown you letters (I begged them of him), written as between brother and
brother, from the foremost men of science and discovery!"

She stood up, her eyes flashing with excitement.

"But why did you never tell me?" cried the General.

"He never would allow me--but you--why did you not ask me? I will tell
you; you were too proud to mention your son. But he had pride to match
yours--ha!--achieving all--every thing--with an assumed name! 'Let me
tell your father,' I implored him; but--'let him find me out,' he said,
and you never found him out. Ah! there he was fine. He would not, he
said, though only for your sake, re-enter your affections as any thing
more or less than just--your son. Ha!"

And so she went on. Twenty times the old General was astonished anew,
twenty times was angry or alarmed enough to cry out, but twenty times
she would not be interrupted. Once he attempted to laugh, but again her
hand commanded silence.

"Behold, Monsieur, all these dusty specimens, these revolting fragments.
How have you blushed to know that our idle people laugh in their sleeves
at these things! How have you blushed--and you his father! But why did
you not ask me? I could have told you: 'Sir, your son is not an
apothecary; not one of these ugly things but has helped him on in the
glorious path of discovery; discovery, General--your son--known in
Europe as a scientific discoverer!' Ah-h! the blind people say, 'How is
that, that General Villivicencio should be dissatisfied with his son? He
is a good man, and a good doctor, only a little careless, that's all.'
But _you_ were more blind still, for you shut your eyes tight like