shake the house like a shock of an
earthquake, and M. le General was announced in Dominique's most
impressive manner.

M. le General was by no means an awful-looking person; and, indeed, we
had so expended our surprise already, that we had no more at command.

He was an excessively stout, merry person, middle-aged, of a beautiful
complexion, and a capacity to wink that would have vulgarized any one
else but a general. He made himself very pleasant, accepted a cup of
tea, praised Mary's French, said that he intended to dine with us at the
Commandant's to-morrow, and told us some laughable stories about the
Arabs. I noticed that the Lieutenant seemed quite overawed by the
presence of the General, and sat flute in hand, like a statue. Mary
tried to put him at his ease, but to no purpose. It did not mend matters
when the General began first to twit him about his musical
accomplishments, and then to catechise him on military matters.

"You were in that affair of '59, in Kabylia, weren't you?" he asked,
in that quick, positive, military tone to which we with difficulty get
accustomed.

[Illustration: My Little Sister Mary]

"Oui, mon General."

"It was a badly managed thing, I believe. The Kabyles got the better of
you more than once, didn't they?"

"I believe so, mon General."

"Bah!" cried the General, turning to me. "You see what these young
officers know of their trade. I have no doubt that Monsieur le
Lieutenant's musical education is much more advanced, and to serenade
mademoiselle suits him much better than to make war against the enemies
of his country."

And, at the mention of the enemies of his country, the General indulged
in a wink. When he was ready to go, he sent the Lieutenant to order his
horse, much as if he had been a little boy of ten years old; and on
taking leave added half a dozen commissions in the same peremptory tone.
The poor Lieutenant listened very submissively, but no sooner had the
General dashed down the street, followed by his servant, equally well
mounted, than he grew gay and easy again.

As soon as we were alone, Mary brought out her slender supply of gala
dresses, and we discussed the important subject of her toilet of the
next evening.

"It seems to me," I said, "that if you dress for the Lieutenant, you
will displease the Capitaine; if you dress for the Capitaine, you will
displease the Commandant; and if you dress for the Commandant, you will
displease the General."

Ma