The Galley Slave's Ring

not expect, thinking he was at the College. Velleda tenderly embrace

t he was worthy of bearing the glorious name of the hero of ancient

pen, kind and bold countenance. A sprouting beard shaded his lip and chin. His full

embraced her

pleasure, son, of se

lained the merchant. "You will prese

leda and I were beginning to wonder what kept you away so long. It seems that the

Without knowing one another, people look for and understand at a glance. On all the streets the words you hear are ardent, patriotic appeals to arm

ast that you are!"

on that stood in drops on her son's forehead. In t

o his clerk, "some chests must have

d looking glasses. They have b

n there. Be careful no fi

muslin or gauze," Gildas thought to himself, "and

we go up to your room with the children, while Jeanike sets the table? It is getting la

hink you are very right!" cried Gilda

the orders of his employe

or. I expect several people to call for me. If th

have preferred to see the shop closed tight, and the door pr

roceeded to say to his wife,

ted to the first floor, and gathered in Madam Lebrenn's bed

we are on the eve

end," answered Madam

f to-day," proceeded Lebrenn. "Then judge whether my plan is good o

us and thoughtful, like one of our mothers of old at the

Lebrenn p

they themselves had set. The people came in order to maintain their right of assemblage and to run their own business. It is now rumored that the King has appointed a cabinet out of the leaders of the dynastic center. This concession does not satisfy us. What we want, what the p

ebrenn in a tone of firm

he fate of thirty-eight million proletarians or small holders, similar to what happened when a trifling minority of conquerors, Roman or Frankish, despoiled, enslaved and exploite

slaves of certain manufacturers, forced to choose between dishonor and enforced idleness, which means hunger. It is right! I am a wife, and I have seen fathers of families, honest, industrious and intelligent traders, the slaves and victims of the whim or the usurious cupidity of their seigneurs the large capitalists, suffer bankruptcy, and be

ing Madam Lebrenn's hand in ecstacy. "I expected no less from you. But just as are the rig

ve it, m

des-to-morrow, battle. That is the reason why I fetched my so

Lebrenn. "Your son's p

young man, joyously embracing his m

chant with a smile and nodding toward Sacrovir

ng the merchant, "will the barricade, on which you and

very door," answere

med Madam Lebrenn. "We s

d we not prepare lint to-night, and b

my child. Our shop will

our very eyes-for liberty! How that will inspire us! Alas," he added af

trife fall upon the heads of those who compel the people to take up arms for their rights-as

g man. "The soldier fights in the name of discipline-the people in the name of their rights

us; because, brought up in the belief of our fathers, instead of seeing in what is called the close of life only a dismal and fear-inspiring ending that plunges us into eternal darkness we see in death only the severance of the soul from the body, which emancipates the former, leaving it free to rejoin, or to wait fo

"I feel sure I will die overmastered by curiosity. What

more to be separated from our beloved ones but temporarily in all eternity! What a variety of infinite voyages there are to be made by

t your drawing lessons, you seemed to give less thought to the model that you were copying than to those that you were to copy later. Well, my dear child, do not allow your curiosity, h

g girl affectionately. "On this side of the curtain are you and

In case my curiosity should be satisfied before yours, my dear Henory," the merchant proceeded to say to his wife, pointing to a desk, "you will find there my last will. It is no secret to y

y, realizing that it re

ll impart to you the information of the immemorial tradition of our family-because," added Lebrenn interrupting himself with a smile, "we plebeians, we of the conquered race, we also have our archives, proletarian archives, often as glorious, you may believe me, as those of our conquerors. You will then learn, as I was saying, that, obedient to a family tradition, at the age of twenty-one the eldest son or, in d

e hung upon his neck, while with his right arm he held his daughter, and with his left his son. He

nging kisses was heard. Their emotion once calmed, the group separated; heads were again held up seren

e help of your daughter and Jeanike. Sacrovir and I, while waiting for the hour when the barricades are to be simultane

rms, my friend?" inq

rchant smiling, "the chests a

you will have to take Gildas into your confidence. H

de himself in some nook in the garret-or in the cellar. And now, first of all, to supper. After supper you and Velleda shall come up again with Jea

nto the shop and went to supper in the rear

lighted in honor of the change of Cabinet officers. But some friends of Monsieur Lebrenn's, who came in and went out again several times to bring tidings of what was afoot, reported that the royal concessions were interpreted as a sign of weakness

upstairs to the first floor, into a room that faced the street.

d not partake of supper. His uneasiness grew at every instant; with mor

uzzling street! Altoge

f hammers and chisels. My son and I shall open

of linen,

m open with

o pry open the chests, while Gildas, who had rolled one of the bales

ing to the chest with his hammer. "Monsieur! If it please you, take care-look at

nswered his employer, "these look

on, my friend Gildas," added Sacr

urnish himself with more light at his work he took a candle, and placed it upon the floor beside him. He was just about to remove the heavy outer wrap

dle back on the table, quick. The devil t

e bounded away from the bale, while Sacrovir himself pl

these bales contain. You must

ercome with fear, while his employer took out two guns from the chest which he had just opene

unded by cartridges, the head of Gildas swam, he grew pa

are filled with cartridges! Its looking glas

r go down into the cellar, or climb up into the garret, where you can remain in all security until after the battle. Because, I might as well let you know, there will be fighting going on with the break of day. Once

tronghold of belligerency. Other events soon crowded upon each other, all conspiring to increase the terror of Gildas. Fresh clamors, at first distant, drew perceptibly nearer and