her sleeping
sister, contemplated her with an expression of ineffable tenderness,
akin to maternal; for Rose was the eldest for the day, and an elder
sister is almost a mother.

Not only, did the orphans idolize each other; but, by a psychological
phenomenon, frequent with twins, they were almost always simultaneously
affected; the emotion of one was reflected instantly in the countenance
of the other; the same cause would make both of them start or blush, so
closely did their young hearts beat in unison; all ingenuous joys, all
bitter griefs were mutually felt, and shared in a moment between them.

In their infancy, simultaneously attacked by a severe illness, like two
flowers on the same steam, they had drooped, grown pale, and languished
together; but together also had they again found the pure, fresh hues of
health.

Need it be said, that those mysterious, indissoluble links which united
the twins, could not have been broken without striking a mortal blow at
the existence of the poor children?

Thus the sweet birds called love-birds, only living in pairs, as if
endowed with a common life, pine, despond, and die, when parted by a
barbarous hand.

The guide of the orphans, a man of about fifty-five, distinguished by
his military air and gait, preserved the immortal type of the warriors
of the republic and the empire--some heroic of the people, who became,
in one campaign, the first soldiers in the world--to prove what the
people can do, have done, and will renew, when the rulers of their
choice place in them confidence, strength, and their hope.

This soldier, guide of the sisters, and formerly a horse-grenadier
of the Imperial Guard, had been nicknamed Dagobert. His grave, stern
countenance was strongly marked; his long, gray, and thick moustache
completely concealed his upper lip, and united with a large imperial,
which almost covered his chin; his meagre cheeks, brick-colored, and
tanned as parchment, were carefully shaven; thick eyebrows, still black,
overhung and shaded his light blue eyes; gold ear-rings reached down to
his white-edged military stock; his topcoat, of coarse gray cloth, was
confined at the waist by a leathern belt; and a blue foraging cap, with
a red tuft falling on his left shoulder, covered his bald head.

Once endowed with the strength of Hercules, and having still the
heart of a lion--kind and patient, because he was courageous and
strong--Dagobert, notwithstanding his rough exterior,