Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-20
must have passed some time in this coun-

year or more; little while ago..
Your English, puts my French to the
blush" laughed. "else hospitality would
bid me use your language.
You speak F5ench?" he asked. Il con-
fes on It is eaSisE ns that learned from
merchants. not at court" For traders of
al nations bad come from time to time
to my uncleH house at Norwich.
,s bue beheyeyep speak <, very ny VEL ,.. ne ne
your skill for my self"
I was about to oblige him. when loud
dispute arose outside. French CALCULATIONS
minglins with English oaths. Then came
o scufile. With 4 hurried apology the gen.
tle:ran sprang to his feet and rushed out.
went on with my supper, supposing that
Ills servants had fallen into some alterca-
ton with the landlord and that the par
ties could not make one another under
stand. My conjecture was confirmed when
the traveller returned, declaring that the
81 ariel arose over the capacity of meas
ure of wine and had been soon arranged.
But then. with little cry of vexation, he
caught up the pocket book from the table
and darted a quick glance Of suspicion at
me. 1 was more amazed than angry. and
my smile caused him confusion, for he
saw that l had detected his fear. Think
iEg him punished enough for his rudeness.
although 1t might find some excuse in the
indifferent honesty of many who frequent
ed the roads in the guise of travellers, I
relieved him by resumng the conversation,
saying, with a smile:
In truth. my French is the schoolhoJ :
French. l tell the parts of the verb
afRle. tn aimes. il Anne; it goes SO far,
sir, and no further.
Not far in speech, though often far
enough in act h. laughed.
frnly.' said l, with d sigh.
Is there no nlore?''
- little more Of the ssme sort. sir And
casting about for another; phrase with
which to humor him. | took the, first that
came to my tongue; leaning my arms on
the table, for nal finished Gazing, 1 said
with smile: Wal!. what say !,ou TO this?
This. Is. soma, thing to know, isn't il. Jc
viens, tn vieas, irviens.'
.AsgAlfve he sprlag TO his feet with Il cry
OF alarm E:s hand darted II his breast:
where he had slowed his pocket book; he
tore it out undetermined the fastening,
With furious haste ana anxiety. 1 sat
struck still With wonder, the man seemed
mati.% He looked at me noss, and his glance
was full OF deepest suspicion. de opened
his mouth to speak but word; seemed 10
fail him; he neld put lie lcati:ern Case TO-
ward me. Strange rs was The question
/ that his gesture put, | could not doubt it.
Il haven touched ne book said /.
Indeed. sir. only your Visible agitation
can gain you pardon .tol the Suggest on''
.Ihen- how how p he mutteret
you pass my understanding, sir, said L.
in opetulaHt amusement. Il say in jest, 1
words act on you like dbracadahra and the
blacklist of magic. You don't, L presume
carry hornDook Of French in your case
and if you do / haven't robbed you of it,
He was turning the little case over and
over in mis- hands. again examining the
clasps of it, His next freak was to snatch
his pistol and look to the printing. l burst
out laughing, for mis- antics seemed alb
surd. My laughter cooled him., and he
made great effort to regain his COM
pesure But l began to rally him.
"Mayn't d man know how to say III
French He comes without stealing the
knowledge from yOllr book S,r?' / asked
"You do us wrong if you think much is
known to nobody in England"
He glared at me like a man who hears
jest, but cannot tell whether it conceals
earnest or not.
"Open the case sir I continued in mock
cry. Make sure all is there. Come, you
owe me that much"
To my amazernent he obeyed me. He
opened the case and searched through GER
tain papers which it contained. At the end
he sighed. as though in relief yet his sus
picious air did not leave him.
Now perhaps, sir said l, squaring my
elbows. you'll explain the comedy
That he could not do. The very impossi-
bility of any explanation showed that
Lad, in the most unexpected fashion, STUN
bied on some secret with him even as |
had before with Darrell. Was his secret
Darrells his own, the same or another?
What it was l could not tell, but for GER
tain there it was. He had no. resource but
to carly the matter with a high hand. and
10 this he betook himself with readiness
of his nation.
You ask an explanation, sir?" he said.
There's nothing to explain, and if there
were, l give explanation when please and
not to every fellow who chooses to ask
them of me-"
II come, thou CONTEST he comes-'tis a
very mysterious phrase said 1. Il can't
tell what it means. And if you won't tell
me, sir. l must ask Others
You'll be wiser to ask nobody" he said
menacingly.
Nay, 1 shall be wiser if 1 ask no
body" l retorted with smile.
Yet you'll tell nobody of what has pass
ed. said he, advancing toward me with
the plain intention of imposing his will on
me by fear. since persuasion failed. 1 rose
to my feet and answered, mimicking his in
solent words.
II give promises. sir. when I please and
not to every fellow who chooses to ask
them of me-
You shall give me your promise before
you leave this ROOM he cried.
His voice had been rising in passion and
was now loud and fierce. Whether the
sound of 1t had reached the room above or
whether the duke and Carford had grown
weary of one another do not know. but as
the French gentleman uttered this last
threat Carford opened the door, stood aside
to let his grace enter and followed himself
AS they came In We were in most hostile
attitude, for the Frenchman's pistol was in
his hand and my hand had flown to the
hilt of my sword The duke looked at us in
why. what's this. gentlemen" he asked.
MIR. Dale. are you at variance with this
gentleman?' But before l had time to an
swer him he had stepped forward and seen
the Frenchman's face. why, here is M.
de Fontelles! he cried in surprise II am
very pleased to see you. sir. again in Eng
land. Carford, here is NJ de Font. es
You We're acquainted with him when he
was in the suite of the French ambassador.
You carry a message. STRIP
l listened keenly to all that the dukes
words told me. M. de Fontelles bowed low.
but his confusion was in no way abated
and he made no answer to his graces uues-
| ton. The duke turned to me, saying with
I some haughtiness:
This gentleman is friend of mine. Mr..
Dale. Pray why was your hand on your
sword?"
Because the gentleman's pistol was in
his hand, sir
You appear always to be very ready for
| a quarrel, Mr. Dale" said the duke, with a
glance at Carford. Pray, what's the dis
pute?'
''Pll tell your grace the whole matter. -
said readily enough, for had nothing to
blame myself with.
Nay, won't have it told" cried M. de
Fontelles.
Its my pleasure to hear it," said the
duke coldly.