mmediately interested herself in us. She made me feel ashamed of my
past life; not by saying harsh and severe things,--you know very well
that would not have done much good with me,--but by talking of the
pleasures of a life passed in hard but peaceful labour, tranquilly
within the quiet shades of deep forests, where you might be occupied
according to your tastes and inclinations; only, instead of your being a
poacher, she made you a gamekeeper, and in place of my being only your
mistress, she pictured me as your true and lawful wife. And then we were
to have fine, healthy children who ran joyfully to meet you when you
returned at night, followed by your faithful dogs, and carrying your gun
on your shoulder. Then we all sat down so gay and happy, to eat our
supper beneath the cool shade of the large trees that overhung our
cottage door, while the fresh wind blew, and the moon peeped at us from
amongst the thick branches, and the little ones prattled and you related
to us all you had seen and done during the day, while wandering in the
forests; until, at last, cheerful and contented, we retired to rest, to
rise the following day, and with light hearts to recommence our labours.
I cannot tell you how it was, but I listened and listened to these
delightful pictures till I quite believed in their reality. I seemed
bound by a spell when she spoke of happiness like this, though I tried
ever so much against it. I always found it impossible to disbelieve that
it would surely come to pass. Oh, but you have no idea how beautifully
she described it all! I fancied I saw it--you--our children--our forest
home. I rubbed my eyes, but it was ever before them, although a waking
dream."

"Ah, yes!" said Martial, sighing; "that would, indeed, be a sweet and
pleasant life! Without being bad at heart, poor Francois has been quite
enough in the society of Calabash and Nicholas to make it far better he
should dwell in the solitude of woods and forests, rather than be
exposed to the further contamination of great towns. Amandine would help
you in your household duties, and I should make a capital gamekeeper,
from the very fact of my having been a poacher of some notoriety. I
should have you for my housekeeper and companion, my good Louve; and
then, as you know, we should have our children also. Bless their little
hearts, I doubt not our having a fine flock about us! And what more
could we wish for or desire? When once we got used to a forest li