The Son of Clemenceau by Alexandre Dumas fils
page 67 of 244 (27%)
page 67 of 244 (27%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
wine in which he had imprudently over-indulged at the evening's garrison
officer's dinner. Had he but patriotically stuck to the beer! But that was not worth lamenting now. He tendered his regrets to the father of the young lady and promised to use his poor influence--here he smiled at the disparagement as if he knew his power and that his hearer was sure of it--for her professional advancement as long as she rejoiced Munich with her beauty and accomplishments. The night in the dead-house, on the very brink of the deathpit, had transformed him, he freely acknowledged. He hardly recognized his own voice in communicating the sentiments that carried him into new directions, so strange was it all, but he was eager to show by deeds that his conversion was great and sincere. He had engaged his protection for the distinguished turkophone-player and his unparalleled daughter, but he felt that was enough. "Ample," said Daniels, at last able to speak a word on the torrent of glib language momentarily pausing; "but we are going away to fulfill an engagement in Paris." "One moment," said the major, politely lifting his hand from which he kept the buckskin gauntlet as if he meant again to shake hands with the Ishmael at their farewell. "Perhaps I cannot, then, be of service to you, but there is another to whom my assistance is of other value--nay, of the highest consequence. I am not referring to the young lady--whom Munich will be so sorry to part with and whom I do not expect to see again even to accept my excuses--but the student from the Polish University who deservedly corrected me and brought me to my sober senses--although, perhaps, he had a heavy hand." He spoke with an assumption of manly regret, which enchanted the hearer and completed his |
|