I think I have chased him away." She said, "All the better, sir; we are much obliged to you; we never encourage such people." When I rallied Madeleine, next day, on having been serenaded, tears sprang into her eyes, and she assured me it was not her fault, adding that she feared Gabrielle, in her thoughtlessness, must have given some encouragement to a presumptuous young man.

"However, when my father returns, he will take measures," she added, "to prevent our being further troubled with him." Monsieur Bourdinave was at this time traveling on business.
The sisters spent that evening at our house as was not unusual.

On these occasions we often sang hymns; and I had just set the tune of "Chantez de Dieu le renom"-- "Chantez de Dieu le renom, Vous serviteurs du Seigneur! Venez pour lui faire honneur, Vous qui avez eu ce don"-- and was lifting up my voice on high, followed by the sweet treble of the girls, when a shower of stones rattled against the casement, and a flint passed close to Madeleine and hit my father on the cheekbone.

Hot with anger, I rushed into the street, and found a group of unmannerly fellows outside, who, instead of taking to their heels, gathered round me with defiant looks.
"What is the meaning of this ?" cried I in anger.
"What is the meaning of your disturbing the neighborhood with your uproar ?" cried one of them, saucily.
"Uproar! We were singing to the praise and glory of God.

Do you know that you have hurt my father ?" "We neither know nor care; and if you don't keep a quiet tongue in your head, will slit it as soon as not." "Come in, son, come in," said my father, whose cheek was covered with blood.