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Updated: June 29, 2025
She looked about her. Not far away was a stone, too heavy to carry but perhaps not too heavy to roll! Foot by foot she rolled it over. She looked. He was still there. She stepped back. As she did so a few pebbles crumbled away from her feet and fell where Parpon perched. She did not see or hear them fall. He looked up, and saw the stone creeping upon the edge.
Some fool sent out a gamin dressed in regimentals in front of one of the bands, and then " "Enough, General," said Valmond; "I understand. I will go down into the village eh, monsieur?" he added, turning to Parpon with impressive consideration. "Sire, there is one behind these mockers," answered the little man in a low voice. Valmond turned towards Madame Chalice.
She stood before the mirror, rubbing her face with oatmeal and frowning hard. Presently a voice behind her said: "Madame Julie, shall I bring another bag of meal?" She turned quickly, and saw Parpon on a table in the corner, his legs drawn up to his chin, his black eyes twinkling. "Idiot!" she cried, and threw the meal at him. He had a very long, quick arm.
"'Look to the weevil in your meal, Duclosse; and you, smutty-face, leave true things to your betters. See, blacksmith," he added, "she shall go to Quebec, and after that to Paris." Here he got off the wheels, and stepped out into the centre of the shop. "Our master will do that for you. I swear for him, and who can say that Parpon was ever a liar?"
Soon after he had gone, there was a noise of tramping about the tent, and then a suppressed cheer, which was fiercely stopped by Parpon, and the soldiers of the Household Troops scattered to their tents. "What's that?" asked Valmond, opening his eyes bewilderedly. "Your soldiers, sire," answered the dwarf. Valmond smiled languidly. Then he saw Madame Degardy and Elise.
The children had been well rehearsed, for even as Valmond arrived upon the scene, Lagroin and Parpon on either side of him, the mock Valmond was bidding the drummer: "Play up the feet of the army!" The crowd parted on either side, silenced and awed by the look of potential purpose in the face of this yesterday's hero. The old sergeant's glance was full of fury, Parpon's of a devilish sort of glee.
Ah, is there no one to mourn thee, save him that killed thee?" He leaned back, and cried out into the high hills like a remorseful, tortured soul. Valmond, no longer able to watch this grief in silence, stepped quickly forward. The dogs, seeing him, barked, and then were still; and the dwarf looked up as he heard footsteps. "Another has come to mourn him, Parpon," said Valmond.
"I do not understand it, gentlemen. Parpon does not like the young Seigneur as he liked the old." Medallion, sitting in the shadow, smiled. He understood. Armand continued: "As for this 'testament, gentlemen, I will fulfil its conditions; though I swear, were I otherwise minded regarding the woman" here Parpon raised his head swiftly "I would not hang my hat for an hour in the Tall Porch."
The next afternoon the Avocat visited old Farette. Farette was polishing a gun, mumbling the while. Sitting on some bags of meal was Parpon, with a fierce twinkle in his eye. Monsieur Garon told Farette briefly what the Seigneur had left him. With a quick, greedy chuckle Farette threw the gun away. "Man alive!" said he; "tell me all about it. Ah, the good news!"
She turned away to the house with a flaunting air, and got her hat. At first she thought she would go to the House with the Tall Porch, but she changed her mind, and went to the Bois Noir instead. Parpon followed her a distance off. Behind, in the mill, Farette was chuckling and rubbing his hands. Meanwhile, Armand was making his way towards the Bois Noir.
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