it was that infernal cholera, who arrives
without giving you notice--for he too is a great traveller--and strikes
you down like a thunderbolt. Three hours after the traveller had left
us, when you returned quite pleased and gay from the forest, with your
large bunches of wild-flowers for your mother, she was already in the
last agony, and hardly 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 groun