 I am very wellpleased with you, Cécile, because you
do so well for your father.
This was an old joke, but they still found
itamusing. He, too, has a fine foot, very high in the arch, but large, as isneedful
for a soldier.
Getthe frogs son what he needs, and Picard will
give Noël Pommier anorder for his shoes. But these are so small, can he possibly
wear them?
For some reason the Count always called him
Giorgio, and that hadbecome his name in Quebec.
On the sole Noël had scratched with his awl: Mgr.
Cécile, all the saints in this church like children, dont they?
Sometimes in winter she even got to
mass.
You see, Cécile explained, the little boy and I
wished to offercandles, and I had no money with me. He found his shoesand an old
shawl and went out into the snow to look for his mother.
He both did and did not remember; it came back to
him in flashes,unrelated pictures, like a dream.
Out of this walled castle rose three tall stone
towers, with holyfigures on them.
Presently he got up and went tolook for
her.
His lips moved inaudibly, he knelt and rose
slowly,clumsily, very carefully, his cap under his arm. Yes, MonsieurAuclair, you
never saw such lard as he made, as sweet as butter.
The old man looked down at her,
frowning.
Oh, everything we do, my father and I, is a kind of
play.
Cécile, all the saints in this church like
children, dont they?
Monseigneur, Houssart whispered, now that I have
seen him in thelight, I recognize this child.
He both did and did not remember; it came back to
him in flashes,unrelated pictures, like a dream.
The new Bishop had called but twice since his
returnfrom France. The old Bishop lived in the Priests House, built as a part of
hisSeminary.
Her figure emergedfrom the dusk in a rich, oily,
yellow light. It isthe only way to make your mouth clean. If you please, Monsieur
Pommier, I have brought little JacquesGaux to be measured for his
shoes.
It went too far, he replied with the same bitter
shortness.
Never mind about your clothes, seeing that he
hungback, that will be all right. Perhaps you would let me look at your glass fruit,
Cécilesuggested.
Certainly the new Bishop had ceased to
patronizehim, which was a grief to Pommiers pious mother.
They both sat quietly, and the old lady joined
themin admiringly watching her clever son. Withconsiderable difficulty he got a
little black purse out from underhis gown.
More than anything I have ever seen, said Cécile
fervently. Respectability stopped with the cobble-stones.
Toinette took him in,drove her old sweethearts
away, and married him.
That,Cécile knew, was because he wasnt properly
nourished. A rich man in Quebec had brought agirl over from France to work as a
bonne in his family. Why, some of it we use in cooking, and the rest I think
mydaughter gives to our neighbours. Cécile took the smoothly shaped wood in her
hands and examined itcuriously.
I have never forgot what a brave sailor you were on
thevoyage over.
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