"My friends, it is well that you should know that I am the new lord, the proprietor of that magnificent estate."
The little peasants stared at him with a stupid expression, still plying their stick; and Alfred observed with a laugh:
"How strange; that doesn’t seem to produce any effect at all."
"My children," pursued Robineau, "you probably didn’t understand what I said—I am the proprietor of La Roche-Noire."
"Yes, monsieur, we understand. But they looked for you last night, monsieur."
"They looked for me!—You see, messieurs, they expected me—I was sure of it!—Poor children! You had a fête all prepared, I suppose?"
"Oh! I don’t know, monsieur; all I know is that a gentleman came to our place yesterday, and sung out that his master was coming and we must dance and enjoy ourselves because he’d treat us well. Then my brother and me, we went in front of the château to play the bagpipes, and we waited for the man as was going to treat us. But there didn’t nobody come, and so our father, who was mad because we’d been to the château, he wouldn’t give us no supper when we got home, and he said that would teach us to make fools of ourselves."
"You shall have two suppers to-day, my children, I promise you, and your father shall see what kind of man I am! But you must do something for me. Just run ahead; you’re not tired, you boys! You will reach the château before we do, and you must ask for François, my valet, and tell him I am coming. Go on; leave your ass with me; I’ll mount him and that will rest me a little. He isn’t a very noble steed; but when one has been walking twenty-four hours, one takes what one finds.—Go on."
The boys looked at each other and did not stir.
"Didn’t you hear me?" asked Robineau.