country. I, wedged between Madeleine and her sister, had the opportunity
of giving her many tender looks, though few words passed between us.
Among the strangers at table was a strangely unpleasant Englishman, who
prefaced every speech with "I want to know--" and would not be satisfied
with a short answer. At length my father mildly said--

"Sir, you seek to know trade secrets. You know there are secrets in all
trades."

"That is precisely why I want to know them," said he, laughing.

"But a good reason why we should not tell them," said my father; who
then turned from him, and addressed some one else. Gabrielle whispered,
"I shall call that man Monsieur I-want-to-know."

"Ah, well, I know already what I chiefly want," pursued the Englishman,
who, had he not been drinking more freely than was good for him, would
probably have been less communicative. "I've been to Italy, and have
seen the Italian machinery for throwing silk, and shall carry back a
pretty good idea of the process."

"That man shall never carry anything back," whispered a
vindictive-looking Italian, whose eyes glittered like fire.

"Hush! he is only an empty boaster."

"We want no empty boasters. We will not let him steal our trade
secrets."

That night, going home to his lodging, the Englishman was set upon by