He took a great fancy to us and
obtained leave of Maman Trebuchet to teach us the Scriptures: but
what he really taught us was to speak with him in Italian. We did
not know at the time that, though he called it Tuscan, he was all the
while teaching us our own Corsican. Nor, I believe, did our guardian
know this; but one day, finding out by chance that we knew Italian
(for we had begun to talk it together, that she might not understand
what we said) and discovering how we had picked it up, she flew into
a dreadful rage, lay in wait next day to catch Maitre Antoine as he
came up the stairs, and fell upon him with such fury that the poor
man fled out of the house and we never saw him again.
"After this--I believe about a year later--there came a day when she
bought a new cap and shawl for herself and new clothes for us, and,
having seen that we were thoroughly washed, took us up the hill to a
fine street near the palace, and to a hotel which was almost the
grandest house in the street. We entered, and were led into the
presence of a very noble-looking gentleman in a long yellow
dressing-gown, who blessed us and gave us a kiss apiece, and some
gold money, and afterwards poured out wine for Maman Trebuchet and
thanked her for taking such good care of us.
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