Early Candlelight

II

E was surprised, as he drew near, to hear the sound Hof singing He had come at a gallop expecting to find the burdened figures plodding along in grief-struck silence, and now this roar reached his ears: 11s Ptaient quatre, Qui voulaient se battre Con:re trois Qui ne uoulaient pas ... It did not come just from Amable, either, whose barrel figure he discerned ahead. It came from lusty throats all down the line of young DuGays. He rode upon Amable with a shouted greeting. Amable was the oldest of the brothers. He must be near to thirty now, Jasper reflected, and he looked older than that, for he had a tendency to fat. His red sash spanned a swelling middle, and his face with its fringe of beard was rounder and more moonlike than ever. Amable had not married. None of the brothers had yet married. The DuGays were ridiculously attached to the paternal hearthstone. Amable had Tess’s rocking chair strapped to his back, heavy kettles swinging like bracelets from his arms, and as if that weren’t enough, he was giving a lift to little Andy, who in turn was giving a lift to the cat. II HE was surprised, as he drew near, to hear the sound of singing. He had come at a gallop expecting to find the burdened figures plodding along in grief-struck silence, and now this roar reached his ears: Ils etaient quatre, Qui voulaient se hattre Contre trois Qui ne voulaient pas • • • It did not come just from Amable, either, whose barrel figure he discerned ahead. It came from lusty throats all down the line of young DuGays. He rode upon Amable with a shouted greeting. Amable was the oldest of the brothers. He must be near to thirty now, Jasper reflected, and he looked older than that, for he had a tendency to fat. His red sash spanned a swelling middle, and his face with its fringe of heard was rounder and more moonlike than ever. Amable had not married. None of the brothers had yet married. The DuGays were ridiculously attached to the paternal hearthstone. Amable had Tess's rocking chair strapped to his back, heavy kettles swinging like bracelets from his arms, and as if that weren't enough, he was giving a lift to little Andy, who in turn was giving a lift to the cat. 142 II HE was surprised, as he drew near, to hear the sound of singing. He had come at a gallop expecting to find the burdened figures plodding along in grief-struck silence, and now this roar reached his ears: Ils etaient quatre, Qui voulaient se battre Contre trois Qui ne voulaient pas ••• It did not come just from Amable, either, whose barrel figure he discerned ahead. It came from lusty throats all down the line of young DuGays. He rode upon Amable with a shouted greeting. Amable was the oldest of the brothers. He must be near to thirty now, Jasper reflected, and he looked older than that, for he had a tendency to fat. His red sash spanned a swelling middle, and his face with its fringe of beard was rounder and more moonlike than ever. Amable had not married. None of the brothers had yet married. The DuGays were ridiculously attached to the paternal hearthstone. Amable had Tess's rocking chair strapped to his back, heavy kettles swinging like bracelets from his arms, and as if that weren't enough, he was giving a lift to little Andy, who in turn was giving a lift to the cat. EARLY C A N D L E L I G H T I43 Amable stopped singing when he saw M’sieu Page, but the song continued to roll back from the line ahead. He snatched off his stocking cap and wiped his beaming face, while Andy stared with eyes like gooseberries at the tall gentleman in white linen clothes whose horse danced so entrancingly. “Aren’t you pretty well loaded?” asked Page. “What?” demanded Amable. “Ole voyageur lak Amable DuGay? No, no, Msieu Page. I tek also you an’ de horse.” “I rode over to see if I couldn’t be of some help myself ,” laughed Jasper. “Hypolite thought you might like the use of a keel boat.” “Nobody t’ink of dat but Msieu Page,” cried Amable. “Who is in charge here? Shall I speak to your father?” “Dee. Dee comprehend‘ everyt’ing. She up wid de sheep...