“My dear child, I don't ask your cousin to write for me to-day, as she is in great trouble. Her father died suddenly two days ago. It appears that his whole fortune has been lost through unlucky gambling last winter in Paris. So his house and furniture will have to be sold. Nobody in the place was expecting this. I think, dear child, that this will pain you as much as it does me.
“Gaos, the son, sends you his kind remembrance; he has renewed his articles with Captain Guermeur of the Marie, and the departure for Iceland was rather early this year, for they set sail on the first of the month, two days before our poor Gaud's trouble, and he don't know of it yet.
“But you can easily imagine that we shall not get them wed now, for she will be obliged to work for her daily bread.”
Sylvestre dwelt stupor-stricken; this bad news quite spoiled his glee at going out to fight.
PART III — IN THE SHADOW
CHAPTER I—THE SKIRMISH
Hark! a bullet hurtles through the air!
Sylvestre stops short to listen!