"But I do not comprend, madame; you say Mistaire Herkimaire and M. Gerald--I know him--vat say you of dem?"
"Why, you know--but, to be sure, you don't know, I have not had time to tell you anything yet. These interruptions make it so difficult for me to tell my story. You must know that two nights ago Mr. Gerald, my nephew, was attacked by a number of ruffians, and your son came gallantly to his assistance, and helped him to beat them off."
"Ah! mon brave. Ze good Pierre!"
"And one of the roughs seems to have been hurt; he was taken to the hospital, and is still unconscious. The police interfered, and I suppose it was necessary to make arrests. The roughs made their escape; it was proper to take some one into custody, so they took your son to found a prosecution upon, as I am told the proceedings they mean to institute are called. They will found their prosecution, and then the truth will be found out--you see? Ingenious, is it not? and I have no hesitation in saying your son will he honourably acquitted; acquitted and, perhaps, even complimented by the bench. Think of that. What an honour!"
"Ze bench? I do not know him. He vill not know my poor Pierre. But M. Gerald? Is he also arrest?"
"He gave his card, and he promised to appear."
"All! and my poor Pierre have not ze carte. But he give ze promesse, and he keep it."
"It could not be taken, unfortunately. You see the others had run away, and the law must be vindicated. What else are the police for?"
"Ah!--La loi! She take ze poor vich have not ze carte, ze riches echappent. It is not but ze good God who have pity on ze poor," and she sat down rocking herself in hopeless woe.
"You must bear up, my good woman. There is really no ground for despondency. Miss Stanley has engaged the very best lawyers in Montreal to see that the young man is brought safely through his difficulty. She feels most grateful to him."