ng in,
I grew restive, and concluded I would stroll about the city. Claude,
for so the landlord styled himself, directed me to the principal
thoroughfare, and I thought by walking straight along one street I
could easily return. There was nothing unusual in the neighboring
buildings to make a landmark of, so I chose a great round tower not far
away, and carefully laid my bearings from that.

The landlord watched me taking my observations and felt sure I would
shortly return; the more so that my few articles of apparel and
necessity were left stowed in the corner by his hearth. These I had
purposely so arranged that I could detect any meddling. Throwing my
cloak about me I took the way he indicated, and soon passed into a
wider and more handsome street, which I came afterward to know.
Walking idly on, without thought of distance or direction, I tired
after a while, and began to think of getting back to the inn fireside.
I retraced my steps perfectly, I thought, and if my calculations were
right should have stood where the broad, well-lighted street I had
traversed corners on Rue St. Denis. But the locality was entirely
strange, and I had lost sight of the great tower which I thought would
guide me home, when a squad of the watch halted me and questioned my
errand.

"I am a gentleman, and officer of the King," I replied with such an air
they passed on.

"I pray you, gentlemen, direct me to the Rue St. Denis, thence I can
find my way."

The man gave me directions which simply confused me, and, ashamed to
confess my ignorance, I blundered on to where five or six narrow,
crooked streets ran together, branching out like the fingers from my
palm. I paused now uncertain which way to go amid so many devious
courses, and deciding almost at hazard, turned down the best paved of
all those dingy streets. I had hardly gone past more than two cross
streets, when there stood at a corner, looking timidly this way and
that, a slight girl, with blonde hair and eyes of Breton blue. She
seemed so brave, yet so out of place and helpless at that hour of the
night, on such an unfrequented road, I almost made so bold as to
address her, thinking I might be of service to a lady in distress. But
my tongue was not formed for such well chosen words and polite phrases,
so I merely held to one side, she standing to the outer edge to admit
of my passage.

At the moment I got opposite her, it seems she had misjudged the width
of the pav