Compagnon de la Majolaine;
Of all the king’s knights ‘tis the flower,
Always gay!’
Cavalletto had deferentially suggested the words and tune, supposing him to have stopped short for want of more.
‘Ah! You know the song, Cavalletto?’
‘By Bacchus, yes, sir! They all know it in France. I have heard it many times, sung by the little children. The last time when it I have heard,’ said Mr Baptist, formerly Cavalletto, who usually went back to his native construction of sentences when his memory went near home, ‘is from a sweet little voice. A little voice, very pretty, very innocent. Altro!’
‘The last time I heard it,’ returned Arthur, ‘was in a voice quite the reverse of pretty, and quite the reverse of innocent.’ He said it more to himself than to his companion, and added to himself, repeating the man’s next words. ‘Death of my life, sir, it’s my character to be impatient!’
‘EH!’ cried Cavalletto, astounded, and with all his colour gone in a moment.
‘What is the matter?’
‘Sir! You know where I have heard that song the last time?’