Upon this,
Paul said to the governor, 'My mother did, address herself to you, Sir, and
you received her ill.'--'Have you another child, Madam? said Monsieur de la
Bourdonnais to Madame de la Tour.--'No, Sir,' she replied: 'this is the
child of my friend; but he and Virginia are equally dear to us.' 'Young
man,' said the governor to Paul, 'when you have acquired a little more
experience of the world, you will know that it is the misfortune of people
in place to be deceived and thence to bestow upon intriguing vice that
which belongs to modest merit.'
"Monsieur de la Bourdonnais, at the request of Madame de la Tour, placed
himself next her at the table, and breakfasted in the manner of the
Creoles, upon coffee mixed with rice boiled in water. He was delighted with
the order and neatness which prevailed in the little cottage, the harmony
of the two interesting families, and the zeal of their old servants.
'Here,' exclaimed he, 'I discern only wooden furniture, but I find serene
contenances, and hearts of gold.' Paul, enchanted with the affability of
the governor, said to him, 'I wish to be your friend; you are a good man.'
Monsieur de la Bourdonnais received with pleasure this insular compliment,
and, taking Paul by the hand, assured him that he might rely upon his
friendship.
"After breakfast, he took Madame de la Tour aside, and informed her that an
opportunity presented itself of sending her daughter to France in a ship
which was going to sail in a short time; that he would recommend her to a
lady a relation of his own, who would be a passenger; and that she must not
think of renouncing an immense fortune on account of bring separated from
her daughter a few years.
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