I have ceased to intrigue, but thank God I have not ceased to
pray. Perhaps--who knows?--perhaps I may live to see again the lily of
France stirred by the river breeze."
He fell into a revery, his fine head bent a little, but presently aroused
himself and eyed me curiously. I need not say that I felt a strange
liking for Monsieur de St. Gre.
"And now, Mr. Ritchie," he said, "will you tell me who you are, and how I
can serve you?"
The servant had put the coffee on the table and left the room. Monsieur
de St. Gre himself poured me a cup from the dainty, quaintly wrought
Louis Quinze coffeepot, graven with the coat of arms of his family. As
we sat talking, my admiration for my host increased, for I found that he
was familiar not only with the situation in Kentucky, but that he also
knew far more than I of the principles and personnel of the new
government of which General Washington was President. That he had little
sympathy with government by the people was natural, for he was a Creole,
and behind that a member of an order which detested republics. When we
were got beyond these topics the rain had ceased, the night had fallen,
the green candles had burned low. And suddenly, as he spoke of Les
Isles, I remembered the note Mademoiselle had given me for him, and I
apologized for my forgetfulness.
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