Laura Brayton — page 74: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

tare LAURA BRAYTON. 65 you? I ’ave been inform in ze paper zat you were one grand hero, and waz mooch disable, and I come to see you so soon as was possible when I ’ave_ ascertain ze news!” And Monsieur Maret examined the appearance of Putnam, with great attention, through an eyeglass. “Ah, mon cher ami, you are very brave! You can endure to be disfigured, and yet you smile! Was it me, I should weep!” “Why, Monsieur Maret, these scars are but skin- deep and will disappear with time. And my hair will grow again. A slight loss in personal appear- ance is nothing when one thinks that he has saved two lives.” “Out, certainement, zat 1s somesing, mon cher ami, but ze paper observe zat you peril your life, not for ze rich, but for ze poor; not for ze rcetooranis but ze canatlle !” And the shoulders of the Frenchman, in a depre- cating shrug, as well as his upraised eyebrows, ex- pressed more than words his astonishment. “You would not have one of those whom you term > the canaille outdo an aristocrat in an act of humanity, or courage, if such you chose to term it. A brave fireman first risked his hfe and nearly lost it in the endeavor to save the woman and child whom I rescued.” — — «Our. But if he have die, like him zere are plenty more. Like you, so few. It was brave, mon ama, but it was not politique.” Putnam smiled at the idea of the contrast ie. tween bravery and policy, but made no remark upon that point. -He knew the originality of Maret, whose residence in America had not been of suffi- cient length to entirely republicanize him, Eomicbhoo KS (Efe)