CHAPTER IV
ST. IVES GETS A BUNDLE OF BANK NOTES
I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger. This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut. In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs. I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon. So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
"I have the pleasure of addressing Monsieur le Vicomte Anne de Kéroual de Saint-Yves?" said he.
"Well," said I, "I do not call myself all that; but I have a right to, if I chose. In the meanwhile I call myself plain Champdivers, at your disposal. It was my mother's name, and good to go soldiering with."
"I think not quite," said he; "for if I remember rightly, your mother also had the particle. Her name was Florimonde de Champdivers."
"Right again!" said I, "and I am extremely pleased to meet a gentleman so well informed in my quarterings. Is monsieur Born himself?" This I said with a great air of
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