"Ah! ha! Monsieur Beel, dis lettair mak-a me de most happi of mans. Ah! ma chère France! I vill see you aga'n."
"I rejoice, Monsieur, at any thing that contributes to your happiness," cried Elizabeth, "but must hope we are not going to lose you entirely."
"Ah! Ma'mselle Templ'! vat honneur I feel to me; mais I 'ave lettair, dat mak-a mon cœur sautez de joie. Ah! Ma'mselle Templ', if you 'ave père, 'ave mère, 'ave leetl'—Jean-tone, vy you dont 'and de ladi a pins, eh!—if you 'ave amis beeg and leetl' you voud be glad to go back. Attendez vous, Ma'mselle, si vous plais; je vous lirai. 'A Monsieur Monsieur Le Quoi, de Mersereau à Templetone, Noo Yorck, les Etats Unis d'Amérique. Très cher ami, Je suis ravis"———
"I apprehend that my French is not equal to your letter, Monsieur," said Elizabeth, glancing her eye expressively at her companion; "will you favour us with its substance in English?"
"Oh! pardonnez moi—I 'ave been so long from Paris dat I do forget de—a—a—a—pronunsashong. You vill 'ave consideration pour moi, and vill excusez my read in France," returned the polite Gaul, bowing with deep humility, as if lamenting his ignorance of his own language; "mais I shall tell you en bon Anglois. I 'ave offeece à Paris, in Bureau, dans le temps du bon Louis; I fly; run avay to sav-a my 'ead. I 'ave in Martinique von leetl' plantation pour sucre ah! ha!-vat you call in dis countray—ah! ha!—Monsieur Beel, vat you call de place vere you vork-a? eh?"
"Clearing," said the wood-chopper, with a kind nod.
"No, no, clear—vere you burn-a my troat, eh!"
Billy hitched up his shoulder, and turned his
