He gives me also, as you will see, good news of the family of old Dagobert, our friend--for in truth, my dear Eva, it soothes my grief to think, that this excellent man is with you, that he will have accompanied you in your exile--for I know him--a kernel of gold beneath the rude rind of a soldier! How he must love our child!" Here Dagobert coughed two or three times, stooped down, and appeared to be seeking on the ground the little red and blue check-handkerchief spread over his knees.

He remained thus bent for some seconds, and, when he raised himself, he drew his hand across his moustache.
"How well father knows you!" "How rightly has he guessed that you would love us!" "Well, well, children; pass over that!--Let's come to the part where the general speaks of my little Agricola, and of Gabriel, my wife's adopted child.

Poor woman! when I think that in three months perhaps--but come, child, read, read," added the old soldier, wishing to conceal his emotion.
"I still hope against hope, my dear Eva, that these pages will one day reach you, and therefore I wish to insert in them all that can be interesting to Dagobert.

It will be a consolation to him, to have some news of his family.

My father, who is still foreman at Mr.Hardy's, tells me that worthy man has also taken into his house the son of old Dagobert.