“The abbé has been your sole teacher, I suppose?”
“Has been! He is still. He has even written books for me, and he is the author of some of the best I possess—But don’t you think, monsieur, we had better descend to the valley? The abbé will have finished his business by this time, and though he is the best man in the world he has the fault of kings; he does not like to wait.”
[Chapter XXVIII.]
I Bid You Stay.
“You have been here a month, Monsieur Nigel, living in close intimacy with Angela and myself,” said the abbé, as we sat on the veranda sipping our morning coffee. “You have mixed with our people, seen our country, and inspected the great azequia in its entire length. Tell me, now, frankly, what do you think of us?”
“I never passed so happy a month in my life, and—”
“I am glad to hear you say so, very glad. My question, however, referred not to your feelings but your opinion. I will repeat it: What think you of Quipai and its institutions?”
“I know of but one institution in Quipai, and I admire it more than I can tell.”
“And that is?”