as to be no hut in the wood,
and no new brother-in-law for them, they cried more bitterly than ever.

In the midst of this scene, Jerome came by on horseback. He could not
stop; but he called out that the band had been heard already, and
pointed to the place where the boys should go and take their stand.
They did not now care anything about the procession, or the coach with
six horses, or the handsome ladies, or the noble gentlemen that Jerome
had promised they should see. Their mother wished that they should not
miss such a sight: but they did not move as she said so. When, however,
Marie turned her face towards them, and said, "Go, dears: pray do," they
took their caps, and walked away; they thought it so kind of Marie to
care for their pleasure at such a time.

Jerome passed again, after they had gone a few yards, and nodded and
beckoned. They ran and kept up with his horse, till he stopped opposite
the post-house. He told them hastily that he was to be stationed here;
and he was glad of it, as it was expected that the party would halt at
the post-house. He desired the boys to keep close behind, at his
horse's tail, where nobody would meddle with them. They must not notice
him till spoken to, and must take care of his horse's tread: all the
rest they might leave to him. There was presently an opportunity for
him to speak a few words more to them; and he could not help saying how
sorry he was to see how they had been crying since he had left their
cottage. Of course, this brought out the story of Charles, and the new
misfortune threatened to the family. Jerome was not the only one who
heard the tale. His smoking comrade was by his side: and it was exactly
the kind of story to which his ears were most open. The two soldiers
conversed together in a low voice for a minute or two, and then sat bolt
upright and silent, as if they had been made of stone, and had not each
carried a pitying heart under his stiff uniform and steady countenance.
When the military music was heard coming nearer and nearer, and distant
cheers were borne on the breeze, the commanding officer rode by, and saw
nothing in the demeanour of these two soldiers to distinguish them from
all the rest of the line, who were thinking only of themselves or the
Dauphiness.

She came, preceded by so many attendants on horseback, and inferior
carriages, which passed without taking any notice of the post-house,
that Robin and Marc heard the people abo