Page:A French volunteer of the war of independence (the chevalier de Pontgibaud).djvu/22

4 into my grandmother's face,—much to her grief and astonishment, and that of everybody else who was present. She said, "Go to your own room," and I went.

My grandmother,—a very quiet, pious, and respect- able old lady,—was far more troubled by the occur- rence than I was, for I could only see that it was wrong to try and make me eat spinach when I had said that I didn't like it. The dear old lady put it all down to God's will and the irresponsibility of childhood, and said to her old servant,

"Lepage, go to my grandchild, and tell hirn to come and beg my pardon ; and here is a louis that you may give him from me."

The old servant had no doubt whatever as to the success of his mission, since he had a free pardon and a louis to offer the rebel. He delivered his message, and wound up by saying:

"Come, monsieur le chevalier! Here is a louis that your good grandmamma charged me to give you; so come and beg her pardon, and eat your spinach like a good boy."

The louis met with the same fate as the plate, for I threw it in the old man's face.

"Does my grandmother think," I cried, "that I can be bribed into making an apology?"

I suppose I was very proud of this reply, for I often used to think of it afterwards, and do still sometimes, though now I estimate it at what it is worth. As for the little domestic drama, it probably