CHAPTER VIII
Much to Thoreau's amazement Father Roland made no objection to David's
ownership of Baree, and when the Frenchman described with many
gesticulations of wonder what had happened between that devil-dog and
the man, he was still more puzzled by the look of satisfaction in the
Little Missioner's face. In David there had come the sudden awakening of
something which had for a long time been dormant within him, and Father
Roland saw this change, and felt it, even before David said, when
Thoreau had turned away with a darkly suggestive shrug of his shoulders:
"That poor devil of a beast is down and out, _mon Pere_. I have never
been so bad as that; never. Kill him? Bah! If this magical north country
of yours will make a man out of a human derelict it will surely work
some sort of a transformation in a dog that has been clubbed into
imbecility. Will it not?"
It was not the David of yesterday or the day before that was speaking.
There was a passion in his voice, a deep contempt, a half taunt, a
tremble of anger. There was a flush in his cheeks, too, and a spark of
fire in his eyes. In his heart Father Roland whispered to himself that
this change in David was like a conflagration, and he rejoiced without
speaking, fearing that words might quench the effect of it.
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