de Blassemare,
as they approached this point, amid the fumes of expiring lamps and the
wreck of fireworks, heard certain sounds of an unexpected sort. These
were, in fact, human voices, conversing in earnest but suppressed
tones--so low, indeed, that were it not for the breathless stillness of
the night they would have been unheard.

"Sacre!" muttered Le Prun, looking up like a toothless old panther.

"Ma foi! what's this?" whispered Blassemare, whose jealousy was also
alarmed.

The sounds continued--the eavesdroppers quickened their paces. Le Prun
was, however, unfortunately a little asthmatic, as sometimes happens to
bridegrooms of a certain age, and, spite of all his efforts to hold it
in, he could not contain a burst of coughing.

Its effect was magical. There supervened an instantaneous silence,
followed by the dropping of a heavy body upon the ground, as it seemed,
under Madame Le Prun's windows. The descent was, however, unfortunately
made; a dog, evidently hurt, raised a frightful yelping, making the
night additionally hideous. Blassemare hurried up the steps, and at the
top encountered Le Prun, running and panting, with his sword drawn.
There was a sound, as of hastily closing the casement above the
balcony--a light gleamed from it for an instant, and was
extinguished--and, at the same moment, they beheld the dim figure of a
man hurrying across the court, and darting through the opposite door,
which shut with a crash behind him.

"Thieves! robbers!" shouted Le Prun, dashing at the door.

"Robbers! thieves!" cried a shrill voice of alarm from Madame Le Prun's
casement.

"Horns! antlers!" halloed Blassemare.

"Robbers! robbers!"

"Thieves! thieves!"

The lady screamed, Le Prun bawled, Blassemare laughed.

"He is gone, however," said the latter, as soon as the explosion had a
little subsided. "Suppose we get the key, madame. Please throw us yours
from the window. I promise to pink the burglar through the body.
Quick--quick!"

"Ay, ay," thundered Le Prun, "the key! the key!"

Madame Le Prun was too much excited to get it in an instant. She ran
here, and flew there--she screamed and rummaged. Le Prun stormed. A key
was at last thrown out, amid prayers and imprecations. How
provoking!--it was a wrong one. Another effort--a new burst of
execration from Le Prun--another fit of laughter from Blassemare--more
screaming and pressing from the window--and all accompanied by the
sustained yelping of the in