o tediously; dwelt most on the bear, and the plunge in the Rhine,
and the character of Denys, whom he painted to the life. And with many
endearing expressions bade her to be of good cheer; some trouble and
peril there had been, but all that was over now, and his only grief left
was, that he could not hope to have a word from her hand till he should
reach Rome. He ended with comforting her again as hard as he could. And
so absorbed was he in his love and his work, that he did not see all the
people in the room were standing peeping, to watch the nimble and true
finger execute such rare penmanship.

Denys, proud of his friend's skill, let him alone, till presently the
writer's face worked, and soon the scalding tears began to run down his
young cheeks, one after another, on the paper where he was then writing
comfort, comfort. Then Denys rudely repulsed the curious, and asked his
comrade with a faltering voice whether he had the heart to let so sweet
a love-letter miscarry? The other swore by the face of St. Luke he would
lose the forefinger of his right hand sooner.

Seeing him so ready, Gerard charged him also with a short, cold letter
to his parents; and in it he drew hastily with his pen two hands
grasping each other, to signify farewell. By-the-by, one drop of
bitterness found its way into his letter to Margaret. But of that anon.

Gerard now offered money to the soldier. He hesitated, but declined it.
"No, no! art comrade of my comrade; and may" (etc.) "but thy love for
the wench touches me. I'll break another bottle at thy charge an thou
wilt, and so cry quits."

"Well said, comrade," cried Denys. "Hadst taken money, I had invited
thee to walk in the courtyard and cross swords with me."

"Whereupon I had cut thy comb for thee," retorted the other.

"Hadst done thy endeavour, drole, I doubt not."

They drank the new bottle, shook hands, adhered to custom, and parted on
opposite routes.

This delay, however, somewhat put out Denys's calculations, and evening
surprised them ere they reached a little town he was making for, where
was a famous hotel. However, they fell in with a roadside auberge, and
Denys, seeing a buxom girl at the door, said, "This seems a decent
inn," and led the way into the kitchen. They ordered supper, to which
no objection was raised, only the landlord requested them to pay for it
beforehand. It was not an uncommon proposal in any part of the world.
Still it was not universal, and Denys