t the entrance of our dungeon wishing us "Bon jour,"
made us start violently and look towards him in alarm.

"You need not shrink from me," said La Croissette, advancing among us
when he had looked around. "I may not be as good as yourselves, or I
may be--that's neither here nor there. I'm not quite a bad fellow, I
believe, though at times I am driven to keep indifferent company. Still,
I am not very fond of those I'm among at present, so I thought I'd look
in on you. Your servant, sir," to my father. "A votre service, madame,"
very politely to my mother. "You were not here last night, when your son
and that young lady rather unexpectedly looked in on us. To speak the
truth, there are reasons why some of us don't relish being looked in
on unexpectedly."

"Quite natural," said my father; "no more do we."

"Ah, but you need not be afraid of me," said La Croissette, "I'm no
traitor, I! It might be rash, though, to say as much of some of my
companions, and therefore I advise you not to be too familiar with
them."

"My good friend, we have not the least intention of being so."

"Age is wary, and youth is full of trust," said La Croissette. "Not
knowing that you, respected sir, and you, madame, were here to look
after the younger persons, I ventured to do so myself, to bid them
beware of their neighbors."

"That was very friendly, and I thank you heartily for it," said my
father.

"Shall you remain here long?" said La Croissette.

"That depends entirely on circumstances."

"Doubtless you are hiding from the dragoons."

"Is it necessary to tell you?"

"Why, no; but you might do so without fear. I have no love for them
myself, but nothing to fear; I am certainly not a Huguenot; but neither
would I betray one. Come, I see you would rather I went away. I am going
into town. There is nothing I can do for you, then?"

"Nothing; we thank you very much."

When he was gone, Gabrielle exclaimed, "Now that is what I call an
opportunity wasted."

"We must beware, my child, who we trust," said my mother.

"Of course; but he was so evidently a harmless, good sort of man."

"We had no occasion to trouble him."

Gabrielle plainly thought there was a good deal of occasion. Indeed,
had she known she was actually doomed to spend a few days in the
vaults of Les Arenes, I am persuaded she would have fitted them up
with upholstery and eatables, even to pickles and preserves. Meanwhile
Madeleine was beguiling the time to the c