“Flacon,” said Charlotte, showing him the eau-de-Cologne bottle.

“Chaise,” cried Louise, holding up a chair.

“Livre,” said Nina, pointing to a book.

“Mouchoir,” said Caroline, holding up an embroidered handkerchief.

“Montre,” followed up Manchette, pointing to her mistress’s watch.

“Canape,” cried Celeste, pointing to the ottoman.

“Joli garcon,” bawled out Cupidon, coming up to Newton, and pointing to himself.

This created a laugh, and then the lesson was continued.  Every article in the room was successively pointed out to Newton, and he was obliged to repeat the name; and afterwards the articles of their dress were resorted to, much to his amusement.  Then, there was a dead stand:—­the fact is that there is no talking with noun substantives only.

“Ah! mon Dieu! il faut envoyer pour Monsieur de Fontanges,” cried the lady; “va le chercher, Louise.”

M. de Fontanges soon made his appearance, when the lady explained to him their dilemma, and requested his assistance.  M de Fontanges laughed, and explained to Newton, and then, by means of his interpretation, connected sentences were made, according to the fancy of the lady, some of which were the cause of great merriment.  After an hour, the gentlemen made their bows.

“I think,” observed M. de Fontanges, as they walked away, “that if you really are as anxious to learn our language as madame is to teach you, you had better come to me every morning for an hour.  I shall have great pleasure in giving you any assistance in my power, and I trust that in a very short time, with a little study of the grammar and dictionary, you will be able to hold a conversation with Madame de Fontanges, or even with her dark-complexioned page.”

Newton expressed his acknowledgments, and the next day he received his first lesson; after which he was summoned to support the theory by practice in the boudoir of Madame de Fontanges.  It is hardly necessary to observe that each day increased the facility of communication.

For three months Newton was domiciled with Monsieur and Madame Fontanges, both of whom had gradually formed such an attachment to him, that the idea of parting never entered their heads.  He was now a very tolerable French scholar, and his narratives and adventures were to his benefactors a source of amusement, which amply repaid them for the trouble and kindness which they had shown to him.  Newton was, in fact, a general favourite with every one on the plantation, from the highest to the lowest; and his presence received the same smile of welcome at the cottage of the slave as at the boudoir of Madame de Fontanges.