'I am quite
prepared to hear anything about him in his present state.'
'It's just this,' burst forth Archie, wrathfully. 'I went intil the
toun to the hotel, to tell the body he must come back tae the mine,
and I find him no in a fit state for a Christian to speak to.'
'Therefore,' interposed Vandeloup, in his even voice, without
lifting his eyes, 'it was a pity you did speak to him.'
'I gang t' the room,' went on Archie excitedly, without paying any
attention to Vandeloup's remark, 'an' the deil flew on me wi' a
dirk, and wud hae split my weasand, but I hed the sense to bang the
door to, and turn the key in the lock. D'y ca' that conduct for a
ceevilized body?'
'The fact is, M. Vandeloup,' said Madame, quietly, 'Archie is so
annoyed at this conduct that he does not want Lemaire to come back
to work.'
'Ma certie, I should just think so,' cried McIntosh, rubbing his
head with his handkerchief. 'Fancy an imp of Beelzebub like yon in
the bowels o' the earth. Losh! but it macks my bluid rin cauld when
I think o' the bluidthirsty pagan.'
To Vandeloup, this information was not unpleasant. He was anxious to
get rid of Pierre, who was such an incubus, and now saw that he
could send him away without appearing to wish to get rid of him. But
as he was a diplomatic young man he did not allow his satisfaction
to appear on his face.
'Aren't you rather hard on him?' he said, coolly, leaning back in
his chair; 'he is simply drunk, and will be all right soon.
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