Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/50

 44 to-whip my friend? what had he done? &c. The object was fully accomplished; and after we had both been well whipped, we fell on each other's neck and embraced, being too full of joy at having proved the sincerity of our friendship, to mind the bodily pain. The time appeared long until the occasion came round when I could know that my friend would do for me as I had done for him, but it came at last, and I had the inexpressible satisfaction of finding that he was sincere, for he too drew upon himself the anger of our master, by reproving him for punishing me.

Mr. Arnauld tried to discover what had prompted such conduct, but we would not have disclosed it for the world. Some of our schoolfellows, however, let out the secret. He tried various expedients to conquer our resolution, but in vain. At one time he punished the innocent and allowed the guilty to go free. This pleased us mightily, for we were able to testify our affection by sparing each other from the rod. At last, his mother-in-law, my aunt Bouquet, persuaded him to adopt the following plan. His habit was to keep a record of the faults of each pupil, and to administer the rod when a certain number had been committed. So when one of us two had reached the limit, his punishment was delayed until the other had filled up his measure, and then both were whipped at the same time. This plan worked well, and made us circumspect, to spare each other.

My mother sent for me from Rochelle, soon after the death of my father, when I was eight years old. My dear young friend De la Laude accompanied me. We went by sea to La Tremblade, and spent the night there at the house of an old woman who had been a servant in my father's family many years. She made us very welcome, regaled us with the