A little house, conspicuous for the delicacy of its architecture, stood near them, and a young man—the schoolmaster—who was on the verandah, reading, in his shirtsleeves, threw down his newspaper at the call of Zotique, came forward and entered eloquently into the work of information about the Reveillière, flinging his cotton-clad arms recklessly towards the winds of heaven.
"The Institute—the fountain of all—the gentleman has not seen the
Institute?" inquired he, looking to the two Frenchmen.
"I believe not," Zotique said. "Have you seen it, sir?"
"Not that I know of."
"Monsieur, you must see the Institute."
"What is this Institute?"
"The enfant perdu of Liberalism, the mainspring of Dormillière, the hope of French America!"
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE INSTITUTE.
"The battle for the sway,
Of liberty,
Fraternity,
And light of the new day"