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Page 8
The telescope was perfect, and the old gentleman took in the situation
just as well as if he had himself been sitting by their side.
"Ah! it's well it's no worse," he murmured; "but it's bad enough as it
is. I shall have to send her off to the town."
When they were at dinner, he said, "You know, Madeleine, we have long
been talking about your staying a little while at Sandsgaard."
"Oh no, father," broke in Madeleine, looking beseechingly at him.
"Yes, child; it's quite time now in my opinion." He spoke in an
unusually determined tone.
Madeleine could see that he knew everything, and all at once the events
of the morning stood in their true light before her. As she sat there,
in their well-appointed room, opposite her father, who looked so refined
and stately, Per and the shore, and everything that belonged to it, bore
quite a different aspect, and instead of the joyful confession she had
pictured to herself as she went homewards, she looked down in confusion
and blushed to the very roots of her hair.
The visit was thus arranged, and Madeleine was delighted that her father
had not observed her confusion; and he was glad enough to escape any
further explanation on the subject, for it was just in such matters that
the old gentleman showed his weakest point. The next day he rode into
the town.
CHAPTER III.
_"Avoir, avant, avu_--that's how it goes! That's right, my boy; _avoir,
avant_."
The whole class could see clearly that the master was lost in thought.
He was pacing up and down, with long steps and half-closed eyes,
gesticulating from time to time, as he kept repeating the ill-used
auxiliary. On the upper benches the boys began to titter, and those on
the lower ones, who had not such a fine ear for the French verbs, soon
caught the infection; while the unhappy wretch who was undergoing
examination, sat trembling lest the master should notice his wonderful
method of conjugating the verb. This unfortunate being was Gabriel
Garman, the Consul's younger son. He was a tall, slender boy of about
fifteen or sixteen, with a refined face, prominent nose, and upright
bearing.
Gabriel was sitting in the lower half of the class, which was, in the
opinion of the master, a great disgrace for a boy of his ability. He
was, however, a curious, wayward boy. In some things, such as arithmetic
and mathematics generally, he distinguished himself; but in Greek and
Latin, which were considered the most important part of his education,
he showed but little proficiency, although he was destined for a
university career.
At last the general mirth of the class burst out in sundry half-stifled
noises, which roused the master from his reverie, and he again resumed
the book, to continue the examination. As ill luck would have it, he
once more repeated, "_Avoir, avant_," and then half abstractedly,
"_avu_." "Ah, you young idiot!" cried he, in a discordant voice, "can't
you manage _avoir_ yet? Whatever is to become of you?"
"Merchant," answered Gabriel, bluntly.
"What do you say? You dare to answer your master? Are you going to be
impertinent? I'll teach you! Where's the persuader?" and the master
strode up to his seat, and, diving down into his desk, began routing
about in it.
At this moment the passage door opened, and an extraordinary and most
unscholarly looking head intruded itself into the room. The head had a
red nose, and wore a long American goat's-beard and a blue seaman's cap.
"Are you there?" said the head, addressing Master Gabriel in a
half-drunken voice. "Is that where you are, poor boy? Bah! what an
atmosphere! I only just came in to tell you to come down to the
ship-yard when you get out of school; we are just beginning the
planking."
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