“Good morning, gentlemen,” he said in English; “ha, do not rise, sir” (to me).  He patted Nick’s shoulder kindly, but not familiarly, as he passed him, and extended his hand.

“Mr. Ritchie, it gives me more pleasure than I can express to see you so much recovered.”

“I am again thrown on your hospitality, sir,” I said, flushing with pleasure at this friendliness.  For I admired and respected the man greatly.  “And I fear I have been a burden and trouble to you and your family.”

He took my hand and pressed it.  Characteristically, he did not answer this, and I remembered he was always careful not to say anything which might smack of insincerity.

“I had a glimpse of you some weeks ago,” he said, thus making light of the risk he had run.  “You are a different man now.  You may thank your Scotch blood and your strong constitution.”

“His good habits have done him some good, after all,” put in my irrepressible cousin.

Monsieur de St. Gre smiled.

“Nick,” he said (he pronounced the name quaintly, like Antoinette), “his good habits have turned out to be some advantage to you.  Mr. Ritchie, you have a faithful friend at least.”  He patted Nick’s shoulder again.  “And he has promised me to settle down.”

“I have every inducement, sir,” said Nick.

Monsieur de St. Gre became grave.

“You have indeed, Monsieur,” he answered.

“I have just come from Dr. Perrin’s, David,”—­he added, “May I call you so?  Well, then, I have just come from Dr. Perrin’s, and he says you may be moved to Les Iles this very afternoon.  Why, upon my word,” he exclaimed, staring at me, “you don’t look pleased.  One would think you were going to the calabozo.”

“Ah,” said Nick, slyly, “I know.  He has tasted freedom, Monsieur, and Madame la Vicomtesse will be in command again.”

I flushed.  Nick could be very exasperating.

“You must not mind him, Monsieur,” I said.

“I do not mind him,” answered Monsieur de St. Gre, laughing in spite of himself.  “He is a sad rogue.  As for Helene—­”

“I shall not know how to thank the Vicomtesse,” I said.  “She has done me the greatest service one person can do another.”

“Helene is a good woman,” answered Monsieur de St. Gre, simply.  “She is more than that, she is a wonderful woman.  I remember telling you of her once.  I little thought then that she would ever come to us.”

He turned to me.  “Dr. Perrin will be here this afternoon, David, and he will have you dressed.  Between five and six if all goes well, we shall start for Les Iles.  And in the meantime, gentlemen,” he added with a stateliness that was natural to him, “I have business which takes me to-day to my brother-in-law’s, Monsieur de Beausejour’s.”

Nick leaned over the gallery and watched meditatively his prospective father-in-law leaving the court-yard.

“He got me out of a devilish bad scrape,” he said.