you mad, 'duke?
This is next to hunting for coal! Poh! poh! my dear cousin, hear reason, and
leave the management of the sugar-bush to me. Here is Mr. Le Quoi, he has been
in the West-Indies, and has seen sugar made. Let him give an account of how it
is made there, and you will hear the philosophy of the thing. - Well, Monsieur,
how is it that you make sugar in the West-Indies; any thing in Judge Temple's
fashion?«
    The gentleman to whom this query was put, was mounted on a small horse, of
no very fiery temperament, and was riding with his stirrups so short, as to
bring his knees, while the animal rose a small ascent in the wood-path they were
now travelling, into a somewhat hazardous vicinity to his chin. There was no
room for gesticulation or grace in the delivery of his reply, for the mountain
was steep and slippery; and although the Frenchman had an eye of uncommon
magnitude on either side of his face, they did not seem to be half competent to
forewarn him of the impediments of bushes, twigs, and fallen trees, that were
momentarily crossing his path. With one hand employed in averting these dangers,
and the other grasping his bridle, to check an untoward speed that his horse was
assuming, the native of France responded as follows: -
    »Sucre! dey do make sucre in Martinique: mais - mais ce n'est pas, one tree;
- ah - ah - vat you call - Je voudrois que ces chemins fussent au diable - vat
you call - steeck pour le promenade.«
    »Cane,« said Elizabeth, smiling at the imprecation which the wary Frenchman
supposed was understood only by himself.
    »Oui, Mam'selle, cane.«
    »Yes, yes,« cried Richard, »cane is the vulgar name for it, but the real
term is saccharum officinarum: and what we call the sugar, or hard maple, is
acer saccharinum. These are the learned names, Monsieur, and are such as,
doubtless, you well understand.«
    »Is this Greek or Latin, Mr. Edwards?« whispered Elizabeth to the youth, who
was opening a passage for herself and her companions through the bushes - »or
perhaps it is a still more learned language, for an interpretation of which we
must look to you.«
    The dark eye of the young man glanced towards the speaker, but its resentful
expression changed, in a moment.
    »I