him, in
order to assure himself that he was unobserved, he entered by the small
gate, and, carefully closing and securing it after him, proceeded with a
hurried step towards the barrier.

At the sight of him she expected, though probably not in such a costume,
the young woman started in terror, and was about to make a hasty
retreat. But the eye of love had already seen, even through the narrow
chinks of the wooden palisades, the movement of the white robe, and
observed the fluttering of the blue sash. Pressing his lips close to the
planks, he exclaimed, "Don't be alarmed, Valentine--it is I!" Again the
timid girl found courage to return to the gate, saying, as she did so,
"And why do you come so late to-day? It is almost dinner-time, and I had
to use no little diplomacy to get rid of my watchful mother-in-law, my
too-devoted maid, and my troublesome brother, who is always teasing me
about coming to work at my embroidery, which I am in a fair way never to
get done. So pray excuse yourself as well as you can for having made me
wait, and, after that, tell me why I see you in a dress so singular that
at first I did not recognize you."

"Dearest Valentine," said the young man, "the difference between our
respective stations makes me fear to offend you by speaking of my love,
but yet I cannot find myself in your presence without longing to pour
forth my soul, and tell you how fondly I adore you. If it be but to
carry away with me the recollection of such sweet moments, I could even
thank you for chiding me, for it leaves me a gleam of hope, that if
you did not expect me (and that indeed would be worse than vanity to
suppose), at least I was in your thoughts. You asked me the cause of my
being late, and why I come disguised. I will candidly explain the reason
of both, and I trust to your goodness to pardon me. I have chosen a
trade."

"A trade? Oh, Maximilian, how can you jest at a time when we have such
deep cause for uneasiness?"

"Heaven keep me from jesting with that which is far dearer to me than
life itself! But listen to me, Valentine, and I will tell you all about
it. I became weary of ranging fields and scaling walls, and seriously
alarmed at the idea suggested by you, that if caught hovering about here
your father would very likely have me sent to prison as a thief. That
would compromise the honor of the French army, to say nothing of the
fact that the continual presence of a captain of Spahis in a place
where