'Je scais bien,' continued he—'je scais bien qu'il faut s'accoutumer a les souffrances![18] We might still have lived on, Madelon and me, at our ruinous chateau; but the possessor of it dying, his son sent us notice that he should pull it down (indeed it must soon have fallen) and ordered us to quit it.
'Ainsi me voila, Messieurs, a cinquante ans, sans pain. Mais pour cela je ne m'embarrasse pas; si je pourrois bien placer ma pauvre Madelon tout ira bien!'[19]
There was in this relation a touching simplicity which drew tears from Lady Westhaven and Emmeline. The whole party became interested for the father and the daughter, who had wept silently while he was relating their story.
'Can nothing be done for these poor creatures?' said Lady Westhaven.
'Certainly we will assist them,' answered her Lord.—'But let us enquire how we can best do it. Tu t'appelles?'[20] continued he, speaking to the Frenchman.
'Baptiste La Fere—mais mon nomme de guerre, et de condition fut toujours Le Limosin.'[21]
'Dites moi donc,[22] Monsieur Le Limosin,' said his Lordship, 'what hopes have you of placing your daughter at Toulon?'
'Alas! Milor, but little. I know nobody there but an old relation of my poor wife's, who is Touriere at a convent; and if I cannot get a service for Madelon, I must give the good abbess a little money to take her till I can do something better for her.'
'And where do you expect to get money?'