Милий друг

           Nothingwassaidduringthesoup;thenNorbertdeVarenneaskedageneralquestion:"HaveyoureadtheGauthiercase?Howdrollitwas!"

           Thenfollowedadiscussionofthesubjectinwhichtheladiesjoined.ThenaduelwasmentionedandJacquesRivalledtheconversation;thatwashisprovince.Duroydidnotventurearemark,butoccasionallyglancedathisneighbor.Adiamonduponaslight,goldenthreaddependedfromherear;fromtimetotimesheutteredaremarkwhichevokedasmileuponhislips.Duroysoughtvainlyforsomecomplimenttopayher;hebusiedhimselfwithherdaughter,filledherglass,waiteduponher,andthechild,moredignifiedthanhermother,thankedhimgravelysaying,"Youareverykind,Monsieur,"whileshelistenedtotheconversationwithareflectiveair.Thedinnerwasexcellentandeveryonewasdelightedwithit.

           TheconversationreturnedtothecolonizationofAlgeria.M.Walterutteredseveraljocoseremarks;Forestieralludedtothearticlehehadpreparedforthemorrow;JacquesRivaldeclaredhimselfinfavorofamilitarygovernmentwithgrantsoflandtoalltheofficersafterthirtyyearsofcolonialservice.

           "Inthatway,"saidhe,"youcanestablishastrongcolony,familiarwithandlikingthecountry,knowingitslanguageandabletocopewithallthoselocalyetgravequestionswhichinvariablyconfrontnewcomers."

           NorbertdeVarenneinterrupted:"Yes,theywouldknoweverything,exceptagriculture.