When Valmond Came to Pontiac, Complete

wn way-Lagroin, open, bluff, imperative; Parpon, silent, acute, shrewd. Two days before the feast of St. John the Baptist, the two made a

n, Lajeunesse the blacksmith, and Garotte the limeburner, all

is own recruiting-sergeant; that, after Friedland, he himself had been taken into the Old Guard by the Emperor; that Davoust had called him brother; that Ney had sh

shop of Jose Lajeunesse. They formed the coterie of the humble, even as the Cure's

e, for a fine harvest was in view, and this feast-day always brought gladness and simple revelling. Parish interchanged with parish; but, because it was so remote, Pontiac was its own goal of ple

on. "Hear how he

e a captain of him," remar

captain on his own anvil,

in the spitting fire; Muroc was seated on the edge of the cooling tub; and Duclosse was re

he was not easy to please, but if he took a liking, he was for joking at once. He approved of Par

"Children, children, off with your hats! Here is Monsieur Talleyrand, if I'm not mistaken. On to your feet

he had promised Parpon to say nothing till he got his cue, and he would keep his word. So he disposed himself in an attitude of

ith you. You are right, smutty-face; I am M

ou say!" crie

chaffing; "haven't you heard

trotting over and thrusting some silver into the blacksmith's po

ed Muroc; "then I'll

rin began singing. Instantly the three humorists became silent and

ite, give me

to me, your

ar, you can

a chateau a

lman, you sha

ot marry yo

al-and a sa

, non, non, n

your face,

and you would

, non, non, n

r chateau a

, non, non, n

ot marry he

iscovered it to them, and afterwards he sang for them but little, and never when it was expected of him. He might be the minister of a dauphin or a fool, but he was no

wever, than any in the parish; and the Cure could detect her among all others at mass. She had been taught her notes, but that had only opened up possibilities, and fretted her till she was unhappy. What she felt she could not put into her singing, for the machinery, unknown and tyrannical, was not hers. Twice before she had heard Parpon sing-at mass when t

pped s

nisingly. "She dragged me from under the mare of a damned Russian that cut me down, before he got my bayonet in his liver. Caron! Caron! ah yes, brave

neither was the singing wasted; and their faces were touched with admiration, wh

Parpon, "you have

ame here a-fishing, 'that's a voice for a palace,' said he. 'Take it out of the woods and teach it,' said he, 'and it will have all Paris followin

pay for setting the dropped shoe-true gifts of God, bought with good butter and eggs at

lgences but you and Madelinette

rawing himself up-for he loved nothing better than to be called the gi

, and he was about to whisper to Parpon, when the little man

your bird shall be taught to sing, a

ery!" said

ddle, Parpon?" cri

linette," he said, in a low voice. The girl stepped inside and came to her father. Lajeunesse's arm ran round her shoulder. There was no corner of his heart into which

she shall go to Quebec, and afterwar

with a great joy. "Ah, Parpo

ck as mortar," cried the charcoalman, and the

and you, smutty-face, leave true things to your betters. See, blac

tre of the shop. "Our master will do that for you. I swe

on his daughter's shoulder. He

he asked, and the sweat

over a little bag of gold to the girl, who drew back. But P

on the gold. Muroc and Duclosse drew near, and peered in also. And

. "Nobody does nothing for nothing," sa

a thumb in the blacksmith's side; "you

marshal or a duke," he said wheezingly to the blacksmith. "You can

ps the artistic strain in he

Monsieur Valmond want

week days, and throw the weight o' Sundays after mass? Who's to han

rienne, said to me, 'Jose-Jose Lajeunesse, with a ch

" cried Lagroin; "in a week you shall be a lieutenant and a

se, proudly using the innocuous English oath. "Better than

, great things are for you. I command the army, and I have free hand from my mas

Duclosse, perspiring, the meal on

with blood and bayonet; and march o' nights if need, and limber up the guns if need, and shoe a horse if need, and draw a cork if need, and cook a potato

mond," said the c

mperor!" cried Lagr

, and instantly his ha

ing is too good for his friends,

te, that they are buttons for the coats of my sergeants, and that my captains' coats have ten times as many buttons. Tell them,' said he, 'that my friends shall share my

ealman, his fingers hungering for the gold pieces.

to handle a company," answe

I went against the English; I held abri

Why the devil not the English first, th

hey might take it in their heads to fig

his excitement, one arm still round his daughter's shoulder. "D'you think we're goi

ll leave the English be. France first, then our dogs will take a snap a

ieces each into the hands of

m loyally, even to the shedding of your blood, for his honour and the honour of France; and

n's voice had the ring of a fatal earnes

again. "Raise y

he devil with the charcoa

that rascal Petrie will get my trade, and I'

responded Lajeunesse, raising his hand,

ldier," said Lagroin,

c, with four little tin cups fitting into each other. Handing one to each, he poured them brimming full. Then, fill

for?" asked

l Violet, and my comrades of the Old Guard

as he brought it straight again, he swung on his

h to say, "Poor devil!" and Parpon straightway filled their glasses again. Madelinette took the fl

e dragged me from under the Russian's mare!" He smiled into t

iful humour of his meditations, he came to hi

we lov

s," he said, looking into the cup admiringly; "like m

sentimentally, and drank. The blacksmith kissed his daughter, and his

hough down there was what he loved best; but his eyes were turned

d soldier stoutly, and