"A party after vespers at the house of old Boulé; But the lads that couldn't dance were asked to stay away: Mon ton ton de ritaine, mon ton ton de rité.
"The lads that couldn't dance were asked to stay away, But his heart was set on going, was the heart of José Blai: Mon ton ton, etc.
"His heart was set on going, was the heart of José Blai. 'Get done your chores,' said his mistress, 'and I will not say you nay': Mon ton ton, etc.
"'Get done your chores,' said his mistress, 'and I will not say you nay': So he hurried out to the barn to give the cows their hay: Mon ton ton, etc.
"He hurried out to the barn to give the cows their hay. He rapped Rougett' on the nose, and on the ribs Barré: Mon ton ton, etc.
"He rapped Rougett' on the nose, and on the ribs Barré, And then rubbed down the horses in the quickest kind of way: Mon ton ton, etc.
"He rubbed down the horses in the quickest kind of way; Then dressed him in his vest of red and coat of blue and gray: Mon ton ton, etc.
"He dressed him in his vest of red and coat of blue and gray, And black cravat, and shoes for which he had to pay: Mon ton ton, etc.
"His black cravat, and shoes for which he had to pay; And he took his dear Lizett', so proud of his display: Mon ton ton, etc.
"He took his dear Lizett', so proud of his display; But they kicked him out to learn to dance, and call another day: Mon ton ton, etc.
"They kicked him out to learn to dance, and call another day; But they kept his dear Lizett', his pretty _fiancée_: Mon ton ton de ritaine, mon ton ton de rité."
"Why, it is a charming little idyl!" cried Archie, laughing. "What a pity José had not an education! Canada would possess one poet the more."
"But to return to the experiences of his late father," said Jules, "I believe that the old drunkard, after having dared La Corriveau (a thing which the _habitants_ consider very foolhardy, as the dead are sure to avenge themselves, sooner or later)--I believe the old drunkard fell asleep in the ditch just opposite Isle d'Orléans, where the _habitants_ traveling by night always think they see witches; I believe also that he suffered a terrible nightmare, during which he thought himself attacked by the goblins of the island on the one hand and by La Corriveau on the other. José's vivid imagination has supplied the rest, for you see how he turns everything to account--the pictures in your natural history, for instance, and the Cyclopes in my uncle's illustrated Virgil, of which his dear late father had doubtless never heard a word. Poor José! How sorry I am for the way I abused him the other day. I knew nothing of it until the day following, for I had entirely lost my senses on seeing you disappear in the flood. I begged his pardon very humbly, and he answered: 'What! are you still thinking about that trifle? Why, I look back upon it with pleasure now all the racket is over. It made me even feel young again, reminding me of your furies when you were a youngster--when you would scratch and bite like a little wild cat, and when I would carry you off in my arms to save you from the punishment of your parents. How you used to cry! And then, when your anger was over, you would bring me your playthings to console me."
