d a frog in his throat; had not Garnier de l'Aube exclaimed:
'It is the blood of Danton choking you!' had not Louchet shouted for his
arrest; had he not been arrested, released by the Commune, recaptured
in spite of this, had his jaw broken by a pistol shot, and been executed
next day--my mother would, in all probability, have had her head cut off
for refusing to allow her daughter to weep for citizen Marat in one of
the twelve lachrymal urns which Bourg was desirous of filling with its
tears. Good-by, Courtois. You are a worthy man. You gave my mother and
sister a little water to put with their wine, a little meat to eat with
their bread, a little hope to fill their hearts; you lent them your
daughter that they might not have to sweep their cell themselves. That
deserves a fortune. Unfortunately I am not rich; but here are fifty
louis I happen to have with me. Come, my lord."

And the young man carried off Sir John before the jailer, recovered from
his surprise and found time either to thank Roland or refuse the fifty
louis; which, it must be said, would have been a remarkable proof of
disinterestedness in a jailer, especially when that jailer's opinions
were opposed to those of the government he served.

Leaving the prison, Roland and Sir John found the Place des Lices
crowded with people who had heard of General Bonaparte's return
to France, and were shouting "Vive Bonaparte!" at the top of their
lungs--some because they really admired the victor of Arcola, Rivoli,
and the Pyramids, others because they had been told, like Pere Courtois,
that this same victor had vanquished only that Louis XVIII. might profit
by his victories.

Roland and Sir John, having now visited all that the town of Bourg
offered of interest, returned to the Chateau des Noires-Fontaines, which
they reached before long. Madame de Montrevel and Amelie had gone out.
Roland installed Sir John in an easy chair, asking him to wait a few
minutes for him. At the end of five minutes he returned with a sort of
pamphlet of gray paper, very badly printed, in his hand.

"My dear fellow," said he, "you seemed to have some doubts about the
authenticity of that festival which I just mentioned, and which nearly
cost my mother and sister their lives, so I bring you the programme.
Read it, and while you are doing so I will go and see what they have
been doing with my dogs; for I presume that you would rather hold me
quit of our fishing expedition in favor of a h