ame Christine's little cap, with long fluttering streamers. Picture to
yourself the soup-tureen, with gayly-flowered bowl, from which arose an
appetising odor, the dish of trout garnished with parsley, the plates
filled with fruits and little meal cakes as yellow as gold; then worthy
Father Zacharias, handing first one and then the other of the plates of
fruit and cakes to Charlotte, who lowered her eyes, frightened at the old
man's compliments and tender speeches.

Yeri was quite puffed up at his praise, but Dame Christine said: "Ah,
Monsieur le Juge! You are too good. You do not know how much trouble this
little girl gives us, or how headstrong she is when she wants anything.
You will spoil her with so many compliments."

To which speech Mr. Zacharias made reply:

"Dame Christine, you possess a treasure! Mademoiselle Charlotte merits all
the good I have said of her."

Then Master Yeri, raising his glass, cried out: "Let us drink to the
health of our good and venerated Judge Zacharias Seiler!"

The toast was drunk with a will.

Just then the clock, in its hoarse voice, struck the hour of eleven. Out
of doors there was the great silence of the forest, the grasshopper's last
cry, the vague murmur of the river. As the hour sounded, they rose,
preparatory to retiring. How fresh and agile he felt! With what ardor, had
he dared, would he not have pressed a kiss upon Charlotte's little hand!
Oh, but he must not think of that now! Later on, perhaps!

"Come, Master Yeri," he said, "it is bedtime. Good-night, and many thanks
for your hospitality."

"At what hour do you wish to rise, Monsieur?" asked Christine.

"Oh!" he replied gazing at Charlotte, "I am an early bird. I do not feel
my age, though perhaps you might not think so. I rise at five o'clock."

"Like me, Monsieur Seiler," cried the Head Forester. I rise before
daybreak; but I must confess it is tiresome all the same--we are no longer
young. Ha! Ha!"

"Bah! I have never had anything ail me, Master Forester; I have never been
more vigorous or more nimble."

And suiting his actions to his words, he ran briskly up the steep steps of
the staircase. Really Mr. Zacharias was no more than twenty; but his
twenty years lasted about twenty minutes, and once nestled in the large
canopied bed, with the covers drawn up to his chin and his handkerchief
tied around his head, in lieu of a nightcap, he said to himself:

"Sleep Zacharias! Sleep! You have great need of rest;