Part 7 (1/2)
”Yes, sir,” answered Miette, ”I have understood quite well.”
”Well,” said Monsieur Dalize, ”since you are so good a teacher, don't you think that you could, during vacation, cause a little chemistry and a little physical science to enter into that little head?” And he pointed to Paul Solange.
The latter, notwithstanding the sentiment of respectful sympathy which he felt for Monsieur Roger, and although he had listened with interest to his explanations, could not prevent a gesture of fear, so p.r.o.nounced that everybody began to laugh.
Miette, who wished to console her good friend Paul and obtain his pardon for her teasing, came up to him, and said,--
”Come, console yourself, Paul; I will let you take my portrait a dozen times, as you did last year,--although it is very tiresome to pose for a portrait.”
[Ill.u.s.tration]
[Ill.u.s.tration]
CHAPTER IX.
THE TOWER OF HEURTEBIZE.
Next morning at six o'clock Paul Solange opened the door of the chateau and stepped out on to the lawn. He held a sketch-book in his hand. He directed his steps along a narrow pathway, shaded by young elms, towards one of the gates of the park. At a turning in the alley he found himself face to face with Monsieur Roger, who was walking slowly and thoughtfully. Paul stopped, and in his surprise could not help saying,--
”Monsieur Roger, already up?”
Monsieur answered, smiling,--
”But you also, Master Paul, you are, like me, already up. Are you displeased to meet me?”
”Oh, no, sir,” Paul hastened to say, blus.h.i.+ng a little. ”Why should I be displeased at meeting you?”
”Then, may I ask you where you are going so early in the morning?”
”Over there,” said Paul, stretching his hand towards a high wooded hill: ”over there to Heurtebize.”
”And what are you going to do over there?”
Paul answered by showing his sketch-book.
”Ah, you are going to draw?”
”Yes, sir; I am going to draw, to take a sketch of the tower; that old tower which you see on the right side of the hill.”
”Well, Master Paul, will you be so kind,” asked Monsieur Roger, ”as to allow me to go with you and explore this old tower?”
Paul, on hearing this proposal, which he could not refuse, made an involuntary movement of dismay, exactly similar to that he had made the night before.
”Oh, fear nothing,” said Monsieur Roger, good-naturedly. ”I will not bore you either with physical science nor chemistry. I hope you will accept me, therefore, as your companion on the way, without any apprehensions of that kind of annoyance.”
”Then, let us go, sir,” answered Paul, a little ashamed to have had his thoughts so easily guessed.
They took a short cut across the fields, pa.s.sing wide expanses of blossoming clover; they crossed a road, they skirted fields of wheat and of potatoes. At last they arrived upon the wooded hill of Heurtebize, at the foot of the old tower, which still proudly raised its head above the valleys.