the big colonel of cuirassiers who had been honoring Clementine
with his attentions. The young girl tenderly pressed the arm of her
betrothed and said: "Here is a man who never sees me without sighing.
And what sighs! Gracious Heavens! It wouldn't take more than two to fill
the sails of a a ship. The race of colonels has vastly degenerated since
1813. One doesn't see any more such fine looking ones as our unfortunate
friend."

Leon agreed with all she said. But he did not exactly see how he had
become the friend of a mummy for which he had just paid twenty-five
louis. To divert the conversation, he said to Clementine: "I have not
yet shown you all the nice things I brought. His majesty, the Emperor of
all the Russias, made me a present of a little enamelled gold star
hanging at the end of a ribbon. Do you like button-hole ribbons?"

"Oh, yes!" answered she, "the red ribbon of the Legion of Honor. Did you
notice? The poor colonel still has a shred of one on his uniform, but
the cross is there no longer. Those wicked Germans tore it away from him
when they took him prisoner!"

"It's very possible," said Leon.

When they reached Mlle. Sambucco's house, it was time to separate.
Clementine offered her hand to Leon, who would have been better pleased
with her cheek.

Father and son returned home arm in arm, with slow steps, giving
themselves up to endless conjectures regarding the whimsical emotions of
Clementine.

Mme. Renault was waiting to put her son to bed; a time-honored and
touching habit which mothers do not early lose. She showed him the
handsome apartment above the parlor and M. Renault's laboratory, which
had been prepared for his future domicile.

"You will be as snug in here as a little cock in a pie," said she,
showing him a bed-chamber fairly marvellous in its comfort. "All the
furniture is soft and rounded, without a single angle. A blind man could
walk here without any fear of hurting himself. See how I understand
domestic comfort! Why, each arm-chair can be a friend! This will cost
you a trifle. Penon Brothers came from Paris expressly. But a man ought
to be comfortable at home, so that he may have no temptation to go
abroad."

This sweet motherly prattle stretched itself over two good hours, and
much of it related to Clementine, as you will readily suppose. Leon had
found her prettier than he had dreamed her in his sweetest visions, but
less loving. "Devil take me!" said he, blowing out his candl