this--let go the wheel, Monsieur, you have no more strength than a
chicken, and, besides, you don't know how to go about it. What a devil
of a road! But we can't spend the night here!"

"If we were to call out," suggested Julien, somewhat mortified at the
inefficiency of his assistance, "some one would perhaps come to our
aid."

They accordingly shouted with desperation; and after five or six
minutes, a voice hailed back. A woodcutter, from one of the neighboring
clearings, had heard the call, and was running toward them.

"This way!" cried the guide, "we are stuck fast in the mud. Give us a
lift."

The man came up and walked round the vehicle, shaking his head.

"You've got on to a blind road," said he, "and you'll have trouble in
getting out of it, seeing as how there's not light to go by. You had
better unharness the horse, and wait for daylight, if you want to get
your carriage out."

"And where shall we go for a bed?" growled the driver; "there isn't even
a house near in this accursed wild country of yours!"

"Excuse me-you are not far from La Thuiliere; the farm people will not
refuse you a bed, and to-morrow morning they will help you to get your
carriage out of the mud. Unharness, comrade; I will lead you as far as
the Plancheau-Vacher; and from there you will see the windows of the
farmhouse."

The driver, still grumbling, decided to take his advice. They
unharnessed the horse; took one of the lanterns of the carriage as
a beacon, and followed slowly the line of pasture-land, under the
woodchopper's guidance. At the end of about ten minutes, the forester
pointed out a light, twinkling at the extremity of a rustic path,
bordered with moss.

"You have only to go straight ahead," said he, "besides, the barking
of the dogs will guide you. Ask for Mamselle Vincart. Good-night,
gentlemen."

He turned on his heel, while Julien, bewildered, began to reproach
himself for not having thanked him enough. The conductor went along with
his lantern; young de Buxieres followed him with eyes downcast. Thus
they continued silently until they reached the termination of the mossy
path, where a furious barking saluted their ears.

"Here we are," growled the driver, "fortunately the dogs are not yet let
loose, or we should pass a bad quarter of an hour!"

They pushed open a side-wicket and, standing in the courtyard, could see
the house. With the exception of the luminous spot that reddened one of
the windows of the