ile."

"But did you ask him, if he had not formerly relieved our father?"

"At first I was so surprised that I did not think of it; and afterwards,
he remained so short a time, that I had no opportunity. Well, he asked me
for the village of Milosk. 'You are there, sir,' said I, 'but how do you
know that I am a Frenchman?' 'I heard you singing as I passed,' replied
he; 'could you tell me the house of Madame Simon, the general's wife?'
'She lives here, sir.' Then looking at me for some seconds in silence, he
took me by the hand and said: 'You are the friend of General Simon--his
best friend?' Judge of my astonishment, as I answered: 'But, sir, how do
you know?' 'He has often spoken of you with gratitude.' 'You have seen
the general then?' 'Yes, some time ago, in India. I am also his friend: I
bring news of him to his wife, whom I knew to be exiled in Siberia. At
Tobolsk, whence I come, I learned that she inhabits this village. Conduct
me to her!'"

"The good traveller--I love him already," said Rose.

"Yes, being father's friend."

"I begged him to wait an instant, whilst I went to inform your mother, so
that the surprise might not do her harm; five minutes after, he was
beside her."

"And what kind of man was this traveller, Dagobert?"

"He was very tall; he wore a dark pelisse, and a fur cap, and had long
black hair."

"Was he handsome?"

"Yes, my children--very handsome; but with so mild and melancholy an air,
that it pained my heart to see him."

"Poor man! he had doubtless known some great sorrow."

"Your mother had been closeted with him for some minutes, when she called
me to her and said that she had just received good news of the general.
She was in tears, and had before her a large packet of papers; it was a
kind of journal, which your father had written every evening to console
himself; not being able to speak to her, he told the paper all that he
would have told her."

"Oh! where are these papers, Dagobert?"

"There, in the knapsack, with my cross and our purse. One day I will give
them to you: but I have picked out a few leaves here and there for you to
read presently. You will see why."

"Had our father been long in India?"

"I gathered from the few words which your mother said, that the general
had gone to that country, after fighting for the Greeks against the
Turks--for he always liked to side with the weak against the strong. In
India he made fierce war against the English, they had m