from its form and ease must have been fabricated before the time of Adam.
I found I had seated myself before a kind of crib, something like a
corn-bin, in which was lying, fast asleep and snoring, the landlady, who
was a coarse, dingy beauty of about forty. "Lead me not into temptation
and deliver me from evil," ejaculated I to myself. At this time a huge
cock that had been roosting in some part of the kitchen gave a loud crow.
She started up and called out "Oh, mon Dieu, je ne puis pas dormir a cause
de cette bete la!" I pretended to be asleep, although I made a loop-hole
with my left eye. A short time afterwards she was snoring as loud as
before.

When daylight began to break I went out into the yard, and was saluted by
the barking of a very large dog, who was chained to a small shed. This
roused all the inmates of the house. We had some milk and eggs, and once
more assumed our most agreeable journey. On entering Gueret, I verily
believe all the men, women, children and dogs came to meet us. I do not
know what they thought of us. We appeared, I thought, like a set of wild
men in search of a more civilised country than that whence they came. It
was soon understood we wanted lodgings, and the importunity of the females
was most embarrassing. I took up my abode over a small grocer's shop. The
only room I could obtain, which contained a small bed, a minikin table,
and two common chairs, cost me fifty francs a month, (about two pounds
sterling), and I was considered fortunate in having such good lodgings. I
sometimes dined at the principal inn, where I met the _elite_ of the town,
such as bankers and half broken-down noblemen who had been pigeoned by
their dearly-beloved Napoleon. One day at dinner I overheard a
conversation between two of these last, one of whom wished, if he could
find two officers among us who preferred living in the country, to have
them as lodgers. I seized the opportunity of introducing myself to them
when we rose from table. An officer in one of our regiments offered
himself as the other inmate.

We were mutually satisfied with each other, and two days afterwards I
obtained leave from the French commandant to remove to Masignon, about
four leagues from Gueret. On reaching the village I was directed to a
large _chateau_ with two embattled towers. I was much pleased with its
romantic appearance, but more so with its amiable inmates, which consisted
of the Dowager Countess de Barton, the count, her s