will stay and face whatever
will come, it is his duty, like yours, to escape the danger which
threatens our class, I trust that he will at once endeavour to
leave the country; but I imagine that he will stop in Paris until
some means are devised for getting your sisters away.

"As to the others, if you all reach England and settle down there
do not keep up the class distinctions which have prevailed here.
Marry your sisters to men who will protect and make them happy.
That these must be gentlemen goes without saying; but that is
sufficient. For example, if in future time a gentleman of the rank
of our English friend here, of whose character you can entirely
approve, asks for the hand of either of your younger sisters, do
not refuse it. Remember that such a suit would have the cordial
approval of your mother and myself."

A look of great surprise passed over Ernest's face. It had seemed
to him so much a matter of course that the ladies of his house should
marry into noble families that the idea of one of them being given
to a gentleman belonging to the professional class was surprising
indeed.

"Do you really mean, sir, that if my friend Harry were some day to
ask for Jeanne's hand you would approve of the match?"

"That is exactly what I do mean, Ernest. In the stormy times in
which we are living I could wish no better protector for her. Were
he a Frenchman, in the same position of life, I own that I might
view the matter in a different light; but, as I have said, in
England the distinction of classes is much less marked than here;
and, moreover, in England there is little fear of such an outbreak
of democracy as that which is destroying France."

A few minutes later Monsieur du Tillet entered with the clothes which
had been prepared for the boys. They were such as would be worn by
the sons of workmen; he himself was attired in a blue blouse and
trousers. Jules was aroused from the couch on which he had for the
last hour been asleep, and he and Ernest retired to dress themselves
in their new costume, M. du Tillet accompanying them to assist in
their toilet. Both boys had the greatest repugnance to the change,
and objected still further when M. du Tillet insisted it was
absolutely necessary that they should cut their hair and smear
their faces and hands with dirt.

"My dear Monsieur Ernest," he said, "it would be worse than useless
for you to assume that attire unless at the same time you assumed
the bearing an