'And a very holy one, as you observe,' I continued. 'He did an
infinity of good, and through all the Terror kept himself from the
guillotine. He brought me up, and gave me such education as I
have. It was in his house in the country at Dammarie, near Melun,
that I made the acquaintance of your agent, Mr. Vicary, who lay
there in hiding, only to fall a victim at the last to a gang of
chauffeurs.'
'That poor Mr. Vicary!' observed my uncle. 'He had been many times
in my interests to France, and this was his first failure. Quel
charmant homme, n'est-ce pas?'
'Infinitely so,' said I. 'But I would not willingly detain you any
further with a story, the details of which it must naturally be
more or less unpleasant for you to hear. Suffice it that, by M. de
Culemberg's own advice, I said farewell at eighteen to that kind
preceptor and his books, and entered the service of France; and
have since then carried arms in such a manner as not to disgrace my
family.'
'You narrate well; vous aves la voix chaude,' said my uncle,
turning on his pillows as if to study me. 'I have a very good
account of you by Monsieur de Mauseant, whom you helped in Spain.
And you had some education from the Abbe de Culemberg, a man of a
good house? Yes, you will do very well. You have a good manner
and a handsome person, which hurts nothing.
Pages:
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230