nd, and clung to him
as if nothing should part them. "_Voila bien les femmes_; to the devil
with my caution; come with me, and I will put you in a place where the
whole Directory shall not find you, unless they pull my cottage down
stone by stone." I hurried them to the house, and hid them in a private
closet which, following out my soldier-like propensities, I had
constructed in one end of the room, in a marvellously curious way. Not a
soul but Agathe knew of it, and I disliked to give up the secret, but I
hurried the young people in, and arranged the place, and went back to
the vines and cut away harder than ever. In two minutes, up rode three
dragoons with drawn swords, as fine looking troopers as one would ask
for. I saw them reconnoitre the cottage, then spying me, they came
towards us at a gallop. "What have you done with the Comte and Comtesse
de Choissy?" said the leading horseman. "You had better hold your
tongue," I retorted, "than be clattering away at random. What the devil
do I know of the Comte and Comtesse de Choissy, as you call them?"
"Look, you," said the dragoon, laying his hand on my shoulder; "the
persons for whom I seek, are escaped prisoners; they were seen to come
in the direction of this cottage; our captain watched them with his
glass, and he swears they are here." "And look you, Monsieur Cavalier, I
am an old soldier, as you see, if scars and hard service can prove one,
and it seems to me you should take an old soldier's word. I have said
all I have to say; there is my house, the doors are open--look for
yourself: come Agathe, we must finish our morning's work." So saying, I
set at the vines harder than ever. I looked neither one way nor the
other, but kept clipping, clipping, thus standing between the dragoons
and poor Agathe, who was frightened terribly, although she tried to seem
as busy as I. The rider who was spokesman, stared for a minute without
saying a word, and then broke out into a loud laugh. "An old soldier
indeed!--a regular piece of steel! one has but to point a flint at you,
and the sparks fly." He turned to his men: "Our captain was mistaken,
evidently; this is a _bon camarade_; we may trust to him. We will take a
turn through the cottage and push forward." With that he bid me good
morning, and after looking around the house the party made off.

"'"Well, Agathe, what's to be done now?" said I, when the dragoons were
fairly out of sight. "We have made a fine business of it." "Ah