Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-07-16
CHAPTER x1v-tcontinued).

- SWO GA .
at the top Of the school. when Pietro
left US and went off to his castle in
Italy and you came back to me here as
fine a young gentleman as any dukes
son. l said to myself that I had done
well. Somewhere. from that remark
able mother of yours, I believe. you-a
peasant-have got the simplicity and
the Inconsistencies hat are the finest
touches of the finest breeding. I am very
proud Of you. Francois. l was proud
When, just after o graduated. the
leaders OF the Bonapartist faction in
France came to this chateau for a Sc
cret convention and I could present you
to them as my adopted child. as my
elaborate in the new book, our mill
tary history of the Austerlitz campaign
that had a good sound for q lad of 18.
And. nam~e-of-a-dog! you held up your
ead-you could talk to them like a sol
der and a statesman. Mon Dieu, yes!
And then. when they wrote and sug-
gested sending You as ambassador on
the secret mission to the Duke OF
Relchstadt last year, I almost burst
with pride to think how well o were
fitted for 1t; fitted to talk with princes,
equipped with the knowledge and the
statecraft to handle a delicate politi-
cal situation. 1t is no easy thing to
ind such an ambassador. for such a
mission man not marked or known.
yet with the subtle and strong quail
ties Which make a man marked. You,
with your youth INC peasant name and
air Of a young noble, filled the difficult
want. You did 1t we'll and won laurels
from critical old diplomatists.
Il have been worrying a bit since to
have kept you here chained to me and
the writing of a history, when you
ought to be at the job of making his
tory. Yet you are only 20. Time has
not pressed, so far. And moreover, I
await a revolution when men such as
yeast is working under the surface Of
all the country; the time will come
when a single crashing blow perhaps
Will shake France and place one Of the
emperor's name on the emperor's
throne. And at that time you. mon
sieur. must be ready to put your
strength into that blow. You and Ihaye
faith. my son in that accolade of the
emperor Of your infancy; you and I
believe that. as he said, you may lie one
Gay a marshal Of France under anoth-
er Bonaparte.' 1t is for you to fulfil
that prophecy"
The general. his big hands on his big
knees. stared at the boy with burn
Ing eyes. stirred by his own words in
70 a true French access Of enthusiasm.
But the boys eyes did not meet his as
usual with the flame of whole-hearted
response which he loved; yet the gen
eral, carried away by his own generous
feelings. was not dissatisfied. This was
his boy; what he did was right, He
drew in a great breath and let It out
In a sigh OF contentment.
nave talked you to extinction.
Francois" he growled. and in all my
words I have not managed to tell you
what 1T is that I am talking about" He
tapped the letter again which lay I'M
dor h1C h md -H HOjo+,~
come to him as his secretary"
Francois large eyes lifted to the gen.
erafs lace, inquir1ng, startled, child
like. "Pietro!" he said, slowly. ri had
not thought of that"
Yet you knew that Pietro was heart
and soul in the plots of the Italian pa
triots?"
Yes
But you had not thought of going
to help him fight?"
NO. my s%eigneur. I had thought only
of the fight for which 1 must be ready
here"
'This Italian business will be good
practice" said the general. as a man
of today might speak of a tennis tour
nament. And you and Pietro will be
enchanted to be together again"
Francois smiled and something in
the smile wrung the generals heart.
FRANCOIS, you are not going to be
NAl4ldppJ dDOul llLLlG Alike Z" @
Quickly Francois threw back. as If
he had not heard the question: INV
seigneur, I will go to Pietro: it will be
the best thing possible-action and
training and good old Pietro for a
comrade; My seigneur, may I go to-
morrow"
Tomorrow The general was
but o are a sudden lad. Yet it will
be no harder to give you up tomorrow
han 1t would be next month. Yes. to-
morrow, then, let it be-"
Francois stood up, slim, young, alert
and steady, yet somehow not as the
boy who had come in to the general
an hour before; more, perhaps, as a
man who had been through a battle
and come out very tired, with the noise
of the fighting in his ears.
Il will go to the farm tonight, to my
mother and my father. And this after
noon I will ride with Alike, if you do
not want me for the book, my ~seigneur
not to tell Alike of this-to leave it to
me to tell herr"
Yes agreed the general doubtfully.
But you will be careful not to-upset
her, Francois?"
II will be careful"
"And-and you will do what you
can to help Pietro, will you not, my
SOM"
A quick contraction twisted Fran
co.'s sensitive mouth and was gone,
but this time the general saw. You
may trust me, seigneur," the boy said,
and moved to the door; but the gen
eral called to him as his hand touched
the latch.
Francois"
Yes, my seigneur." He faced about,
steady and grave. and stood holding
the door.
FRANCOIS, my son-I have not hurt
you-very much? You do not love
Alixe-deeply? Do you love her,
Francois'?'
There was a shock Of stiffness in the
old dim library. Through the window
where the children's shouts had come
In 10 years before to the marquis and
the general-one heard now in the
quiet the sudden staccato OF a late
cricket. The general. breathing anx-
iously, looked, at Francois, Francois
standing like a statue. The general re-
peated his question softly, breathlessly.
sI1o You love her. Francois Z"
With that the great eyes blazed and
the whole face of the boy lighted as IL
a fire had famed inside a lantern. He
threw back his head.
with all my soul" he safd. "And