e should be
eternally grateful."

She smiled as she answered--

"You are too precipitate. If you were to escape from this house, my
father would be punished. Means may be found, however. We have no love
for these regicides, and owe them no allegiance; but you must have
patience."

"It is a hard thing to exercise; however, we are very much obliged to
you," said Paul.

"Just ask her her name," put in O'Grady. "Tell her we should wish to
know what to call one who for ever after this must dwell like a bright
star in our memories, especially one who is so lovely and amiable."

"That's rather a long speech to translate, and perhaps she won't like
all those compliments," remarked Paul.

"Won't she, though?" said O'Grady, who had seen rather more of the world
than his companion; "try her, at all events."

Paul translated as well as he could what Paddy had said, and as the
latter stood with his hand on his heart, and bowed at the same time, the
young lady was not left in doubt as to who was the originator of the
address. Paddy was remarkably good-looking and tall for his age, and
the young lady was in no way displeased, and replied that her name was
Rosalie, and that she was her father's only daughter. She had had two
brothers, both of whom had been carried away by the conscription. One
had been killed in a battle with the Austrians, and the other was still
serving in the ranks, though he ought long ago to have been promoted.

"Ah! the cruel fighting," she added; "our rulers take away those we love
best, and care not what becomes of them, or of the hearts they break,
and bring with sorrow to the grave."

Rosalie soon recovered herself, and, wiping her eyes, told the
midshipmen that she would come back again when they had eaten their
supper, and would in the meantime try and devise some means to enable
them to make their escape while they were travelling.

"She's a sweet, pretty little girl," observed O'Grady, after Rosalie had
gone. "She'll help us if she can, and do you know I think that she is a
Protestant, for I don't see any pictures of saints and such-like figures
stuck about the walls as we do in most other French houses?"

"It is possible; but what difference can that make to you?" asked Paul.

"Why, you see, Gerrard, I have fallen in love with her, and I'm thinking
that if she helps us to make our escape, when the war is over, I'll come
back and ask her to marry me."

Paul laughed at his friend's