ief honours rest with Ernest."
"I am glad of that, papa," Mademoiselle de St. Caux said; "it is
only right the chief honour should be with your son and not with
this English boy. He has had more than his share already, I think."
"You would not think so if he had saved your life, sister," Jeanne
broke in impetuously. "It was very brave of them both to kill the
wolf; but I think it was ever, ever so much braver to attack a
great mad dog without weapons. Don't you think so, papa?"
"I don't think you should speak so warmly to your elder sister,
Jeanne," the marquis said; "she is a grown-up young lady, and you
are in the school-room. Still, in answer to your question, I admit
that the first was very much the braver deed. I myself should have
liked nothing better than to stand before that great wolf with my
hunting sword in my hand; but although if I had been near you when
the hound attacked you, I should doubtless have thrown myself before
you, I should have been horribly frightened and should certainly
have been killed; for I should never have thought of or carried so
promptly out the plan which Harry adopted of muzzling the animal.
But there is no need to make comparisons. On the present occasion
both the lads have behaved with great bravery, and I am proud that
Ernest is one of the conquerors of the demon wolf. It will start
him in life with a reputation already established for courage.
Now, come with me and have a look at the wolf. I don't think such
a beast was ever before seen in France. I am going to have him
stuffed and set up as a trophy. He shall stand over the fireplace
in the hall, and long after we have all mouldered to dust our
descendants will point to it proudly, telling how a lad of their
race, with another his own age, slew the demon wolf of Burgundy."
Ernest was confined to his bed for nearly a month, and during
this time Harry often went long rides and walks by himself. In the
evening the marquis frequently talked with him over the situation
of the country and compared the events which had taken place with
the struggle of the English parliament with the king.
"There was one point of difference between the two cases," he said
one evening. "In England the people had already great power in
the state. The parliament had always been a check upon the royal
authority; and it was because the king tried to overrule parliament
that the trouble came about. Here our kings, or at least the ministers
they a
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