Polynesian., 1844-12-14

we'd from that"
''Then you do not know what the cat-heads
are 2"
81 have not the least idea," said l.
"They are a kind of beams projecting in
front from the bows Of the vessel, from which
the anchor is thrown off. When a man is to
be shot, he is usually placed there" he ad-
ded in a low tone.
"Oh l understand, so that he then falls
into the water I"
He did not answer, but began to describe
the small boats of a vessel. And then, and
without any order in his ideas, he continued
his tale, with that affected air of unconcern,
which a long service in the army invariably
gives, because you must show your interiors
your contempt of danger, your contempt of
men, your contempt of life, your contempt
of death, and even your contempt of your
self. And all this generally hides, under a
rough envelope, very deep feelings The
roughness of a soldier is like a mask of iron
over a noble face; like the stone dungeon
that e~ncloses a royal prisoner.
"These boats hold more than eight row.
ers," he continued. "They seized Laurette
time to cry or to speak. All this is a thing
WulCu HI OlCS iAu al CfCI liuu COlHlOIl
for when it has been his doing. You may
an affair. All, what weather this is what
you Of all this Whenever | begin this, |
can't stop. 1t is a story which makes me
fairly drunk like the Jurancon wine.-Ah,
what weather it is! My cloak is soaked
through
CT was telling you, l believe, still about
that little Laurette I! Poor girl What
clumsy people there are in the world !! My
sailors were so stupid as to take the boat
straight ahead of the brig. After all, it's
true one cannot foresee everything. For my
own part, l had counted on the night to hide
the matter, and did not think about the flash
a dozen muskets would make, fired at once.
And the fact is, that from the boat she saw
her husband fall into the water-shot If
there is a God up there, he only knows what
l am going to tell you took place; as for me,
l know nothing about it, but it was seen and
heard, as l see and hear you. AT the mo-
ment Of the fire, she raised her hand to her
forehead, as if a ball had struck her there,
and sat down in the boat without fainting,
without screaming, and returned to the brig
Just when they wanted her, and Just as they
wanted her. l went to her, and talked to her
a long time, the best | could. She seemed
to be listening to me, and looked me in the
face, rubbing her forehead with her hands.
But she did not understand; and her face
was quite pale, and her forehead red. She
tremblcd all over, as if she was afraid of eve
ry body. She has remained so ever since
in Just the same state, poor little soul AN
idiot, or imbecile, as it were, or crazy, or
whatever you please. Nobody has ever drawn
a word out of her, except when she asks to
have what she has in her head taken out
"From that hour | became as melancholy
as herself, and felt something in me which
said: Stand By her till the end Of thy days,
and ratch orer her, | have lone it.
When | returned to France, | asked leave
to pass with my rank into the army, having
taken an aversion to the sea, for the innocent
blood | had cast into it. | sought out Lau-
rette's family. Her mother was dead, and
her sisters, to whom | brought her crazy,
did not want the trouble of her, and offered
to place her at Charanton. ! turned my back
upon them, and kept her with me.
If you want to see her, comrade, you
have only to say the word. Here--hold on.
Ho !-ho you beast !"
HI.-HOw CONTINUED MY JOURNEY.
And he stopped his poor mule, who SEEM
cd delighted that | had asked that question.
At the same time he lifted the oil-cloth cover