"Bon'venture is a good place to come to-yes. I have been to Quebec,
to St. John, to Fort Garry, to Detroit, up in Maine and down to New York.
I have ride a horse in a circus, I have drive a horse and sleigh in a
shanty, I have play in a brass band, I have drink whiskey every night for
a month--enough whiskey. I have drink water every night for a year--it
is not enough. I have learn how to speak English; I have lose all my
money when I go to play a game of cards. I go back to de circus; de
circus smash; I have no pay. I take dat damn bear Michael as my share--
yes. I walk trough de State of New York, all trough de State of Maine to
Quebec, all de leetla village, all de big city--yes. I learn dat damn
funny song to sing to Michael. Ha, why do I come to Bon'venture? What
is there to Bon'venture? Ha! you ask that? I know and you know,
M'sieu' Shangois. There is nosing like Bon'venture in all de worl'.

"What is it you would have? Do you want nice warm house in winter,
plenty pork, molass', patat, leetla drop whiskey 'hind de door in de
morning? Ha! you come to Bon'venture. Where else you fin' it? You
want people say: 'How you do, Vanne Castine--how you are? Adieu, Vanne
Castine; to see you again ver' happy, Vanne Castine.' Ha, that is what
you get in Bon'venture. Who say 'God bless you' in New York! They say
'Damn you!'--yes, I know.

"Where have you a church so warm, so ver' nice, and everybody say him
mass and God-have-mercy? Where you fin' it like that leetla place on de
hill in Bon'venture? Yes. There is anoser place in Bon'venture, ver'
nice place--yes, ha! On de side of de hill. You have small-pox, scarlet
fev', difthere; you get smash your head, you get break your leg, you fall
down, you go to die. Ha, who is there in all de worl' like M'sieu'
Vallier, the Cure? Who will say to you like him: 'Vanne Castine, you
have break all de commandments: you have swear, you have steal, you have