ardly to be recognized. The cholera had broken out in the village, and
that evening five persons died of it. Your mother had only time to hang
the medal about your neck, my dear little Rose, to recommend you both to
my care, and to beg that we should set out immediately. When she was
gone, the new order of exile could not apply to you; and I obtained
permission from the governor to take my departure with you for France,
according to the last wishes--"

The soldier could not finish the sentence; he covered his eyes with his
hand, whilst the orphans embraced him sobbing.

"Oh! but," resumed Dagobert, with pride, after a moment of painful
silence, "it was then that you showed yourselves the brave daughters of
the general. Notwithstanding the danger, it was impossible to tear you
from your mother's bedside; you remained with her to the last, you closed
her eyes, you watched there all night, and you would not leave the
village till you had seen me plant the little wooden cross over the grave
I had dug for her."

Dagobert paused abruptly. A strange, wild neighing, mingled with
ferocious roarings, made the soldier start from his seat. He grew pale,
and cried: "It is Jovial! my horse! What are they doing to my horse?"
With that, opening the door he rushed down the stairs precipitately.

The two sisters clung together, so terrified at the sudden departure of
the soldier, that they saw not an enormous hand pass through the broken
panes, unfasten the catch of the window, push it violently open, and
throw down the lamp placed on the little table, on which was the
soldiers's knapsack. The orphans thus found themselves plunged into
complete darkness.

CHAPTER XI.

JOVIAL and DEATH.

Morok had led Jovial into the middle of the menagerie, and then removed
the cloth which prevented him from seeing and smelling. Scarcely had the
tiger, lion, and panther caught a glimpse of him than they threw
themselves, half famished, against the bars of their dens.

The horse struck with stupor, his neck stretched out, his eye fixed, and
trembling through all his limbs, appeared as if nailed to the ground; an
abundant icy sweat rolled suddenly down his flanks. The lion and the
tiger uttered fearful roarings, and struggled violently in their dens.
The panther did not roar, but her mute rage was terrific.

With a tremendous bound, at the risk of breaking her skull, she sprang
from the back of the cage against the bars; then, still mute, s