"They are devoted to each other."
"If she accepts him then, why not? You do not doubt your son?"
"Never, Monsieur! what is different is Jean. He thinks my Francois too poor for his Josephte, and he is for ever planning to discourage their love. Grand Dieu, he is proud! Yet his father and I were good friends when we were both boys. He wants Mlle. Josephte to take the American."
"Reassure yourself; that will never be. No, Bonhomme, trust to me; that shall never he," exclaimed Chamilly.
"How did you come to know these parties, sir," he put in English. But without awaiting an answer he continued: "Benoit is crazy to marry his daughter to that rowdy. Benoit was always rather off on the surface, but he has usually been shrewder at bottom. Cuiller infatuates him. He hasn't a single antecedent, but has been treating Benoit so much to liquor and boasting, that the foolish man follows him like a dog."
"My son has been to Montreal,—he has done business," said the Bonhomme with pride—"he is a good young man—and he had plenty of money before he lost it on the journey."
"How did he lose his money?"
"Some one stole it. He was coming down to marry Josephte. If he had had his money Jean would have let her take him.—But he can earn more."
"There was a mysterious robbery of François' money on the steam boat a couple of weeks ago," said Chamilly in English again, "I shall have to lend him some to set him up in business here, but mustn't do it till after my election."