across his knee, and the two boys must be about the same age."

"Oh, he has brute strength, I grant," the marquise said; "so have
the sons of our peasants; however, I do not want to find fault with
him, it is your hobby, or rather that of Auguste, who is, I think,
mad about these English; I will say nothing to prevent its having
a fair trial, only I hope it will not be necessary for me to give
him my hand again."

"I do not suppose it will until he leaves, Julie, and by that time,
no doubt, he will know what to do with it; but here is M. du Tillet
waiting all this time for you to speak to him."

"Pardon me, my good M. du Tillet," the marquise said. "In truth
that squeeze of my hand has driven all other matters from my mind.
How have you fared? This long journey with this English bear must
have been very tedious for you."

"Indeed, Madame Ia Marquise," M. du Tillet replied, "it has been no
hardship, the boy has amused me greatly; nay, more, he has pleased
me. We have been able to say little to each other, though, indeed,
he is quick and eager to learn, and will soon speak our language;
but his face has been a study. When he is pleased you can see that
he is pleased, and that is a pleasure, for few people are pleased
in our days. Again, when he does not like a thing you can also
see it. I can see that he says to himself, I can expect nothing
better, these poor people are only French. When the gamins in Paris
jeered him as to his dress, he closed his hands and would have flown
at them with his fists after the manner of his countrymen had he
not put strong restraint on himself. From the look of his honest