and　in　the　dark　at　night；　and　sometimes　by　day　when　he　can　get　me
  apart　with　him；　he　laments　a　mother　and　a　sweetheart。　　Do　you　know
  what　made　him　take　me　for　a　confidant？'
  She　parted　her　lips　with　a　look；　but　did　not　speak。　　The　look
  burned　all　through　me　with　a　sudden　vital　heat。
  'Because　I　had　once　seen；　in　marching　by；　the　belfry　of　his
  village！'　I　continued。　　'The　circumstance　is　quaint　enough。　　It
  seems　to　bind　up　into　one　the　whole　bundle　of　those　human　instincts
  that　make　life　beautiful；　and　people　and　places　dear　…　and　from
  which　it　would　seem　I　am　cut　off！'
  I　rested　my　chin　on　my　knee　and　looked　before　me　on　the　ground。　　I
  had　been　talking　until　then　to　hold　her；　but　I　was　now　not　sorry
  she　should　go：　an　impression　is　a　thing　so　delicate　to　produce　and
  so　easy　to　overthrow！　　Presently　she　seemed　to　make　an　effort。
  'I　will　take　this　toy；'　she　said；　laid　a　five…and…sixpenny　piece　in
  my　hand；　and　was　gone　ere　I　could　thank　her。
  I　retired　to　a　place　apart　near　the　ramparts　and　behind　a　gun。　　The
  beauty；　the　expression　of　her　eyes；　the　tear　that　had　trembled
  there；　the　compassion　in　her　voice；　and　a　kind　of　wild　elegance
  that　consecrated　the　freedom　of　her　movements；　all　combined　to
  enslave　my　imagination　and　inflame　my　heart。　　What　had　she　said？
  Nothing　to　signify；　but　her　eyes　had　met　mine；　and　the　fire　they
  had　kindled　burned　inextinguishably　in　my　veins。　　I　loved　her；　and
  I　did　not　fear　to　hope。　　Twice　I　had　spoken　with　her；　and　in　both
  interviews　I　had　been　well　inspired；　I　had　engaged　her　sympathies；
  I　had　found　words　that　she　must　remember；　that　would　ring　in　her
  ears　at　night　upon　her　bed。　　What　mattered　if　I　were　half　shaved
  and　my　clothes　a　caricature？　　I　was　still　a　man；　and　I　had　drawn　my
  image　on　her　memory。　　I　was　still　a　man；　and；　as　I　trembled　to
  realise；　she　was　still　a　woman。　　Many　waters　cannot　quench　love；
  and　love；　which　is　the　law　of　the　world；　was　on　my　side。　　I　closed
  my　eyes；　and　she　sprang　up　on　the　background　of　the　darkness；　more
  beautiful　than　in　life。　　'Ah！'　thought　I；　'and　you　too；　my　dear；
  you　too　must　carry　away　with　you　a　picture；　that　you　are　still　to
  behold　again　and　still　to　embellish。　　In　the　darkness　of　night；　in
  the　streets　by　day；　still　you　are　to　have　my　voice　and　face；
  whispering；　making　love　for　me；　encroaching　on　your　shy　heart。　　Shy
  as　your　heart　is；　IT　is　lodged　there　…　I　am　lodged　there；　let　the
  hours　do　their　office　…　let　time　continue　to　draw　me　ever　in　more
  lively；　ever　in　more　insidious　colours。'　　And　then　I　had　a　vision
  of　myself；　and　burst　out　laughing。
  A　likely　thing；　indeed；　that　a　beggar…man；　a　private　soldier；　a
  prisoner　in　a　yellow　travesty；　was　to　awake　the　interest　of　this
  fair　girl！　　I　would　not　despair；　but　I　saw　the　game　must　be　played
  fine　and　close。　　It　must　be　my　policy　to　hold　myself　before　her；
  always　in　a　pathetic　or　pleasing　attitude；　never　to　alarm　or
  startle　her；　to　keep　my　own　secret　locked　in　my　bosom　like　a　story
  of　disgrace；　and　let　hers　（if　she　could　be　induced　to　have　one）
  grow　at　its　own　rate；　to　move　just　so　fast；　and　not　by　a　hair's…
  breadth　any　faster；　than　the　inclination　of　her　heart。　　I　was　the
  man；　and　yet　I　was　passive；　tied　by　the　foot　in　prison。　　I　could
  not　go　to　her；　I　must　cast　a　spell　upon　her　at　each　visit；　so　that
  she　should　return　to　me；　and　this　was　a　matter　of　nice　management。
  I　had　done　it　the　last　time　…　it　seemed　impossible　she　should　not
  come　again　after　our　interview；　and　for　the　next　I　had　speedily
  ripened　a　fresh　plan。　　A　prisoner；　if　he　has　one　great　disability
  for　a　lover；　has　yet　one　considerable　advantage：　there　is　nothing
  to　distract　him；　and　he　can　spend　all　his　hours　ripening　his　love
  and　preparing　its　manifestations。　　I　had　been　then　some　days　upon　a
  piece　of　carving；　…　no　less　than　the　emblem　of　Scotland；　the　Lion
  Rampant。　　This　I　proceeded　to　finish　with　what　skill　I　was
  possessed　of；　and　when　at　last　I　could　do　no　more　to　it　（and；　you
  may　be　sure；　was　already　regretting　I　had　done　so　much）；　added　on
  the　base　the　following　dedication。　…
  A　LA　BELLE　FLORA
  LE　PRISONNIER　RECONNAISSANT
  A。　D。　ST。　　Y。　D。　K。
  I　put　my　heart　into　the　carving　of　these　letters。　　What　was　done
  with　so　much　ardour；　it　seemed　scarce　possible　that　any　should
  behold　with　indifference；　and　the　initials　would　at　least　suggest
  to　her　my　noble　birth。　　I　thought　it　better　to　suggest：　I　felt　that
  mystery　was　my　stock…in…trade；　the　contrast　between　my　rank　and
  manners；　between　my　speech　and　my　clothing；　and　the　fact　that　she
  could　only　think　of　me　by　a　combination　of　letters；　must　all　tend
  to　increase　her　interest　and　engage　her　heart。
  This　done；　there　was　nothing　left　for　me　but　to　wait　and　to　hope。
  And　there　is　nothing　further　from　my　character：　in　love　and　in　war；
  I　am　all　for　the　forward　movement；　and　these　days　of　waiting　made
  my　purgatory。　　It　is　a　fact　that　I　loved　her　a　great　deal　better　at
  the　end　of　them；　for　love　comes；　like　bread；　from　a　perpetual
  rehandling。　　And　besides；　I　was　fallen　into　a　panic　of　fear。　　How；
  if　she　came　no　more；　how　was　I　to　continue　to　endure　my　empty　days？
  how　was　I　to　fall　back　and　find　my　interest　in　the　major's　lessons；
  the　lieutenant's　chess；　in　a　twopenny　sale　in　the　market；　or　a
  halfpenny　addition　to　the　prison　fare？
  Days　went　by；　and　weeks；　I　had　not　the　courage　to　calculate；　and
  to…day　I　have　not　the　courage　to　remember；　but　at　last　she　was
  there。　　At　last　I　saw　her　approach　me　in　the　company　of　a　boy　about
  her　own　age；　and　whom　I　divined　at　once　to　be　her　brother。
  I　rose　and　bowed　in　silence。
  'This　is　my　brother；　Mr。　Ronald　Gilchrist；'　said　she。　　'I　have　told
  him　of　your　sufferings。　　He　is　so　sorry　for　you！'
  'It　is　more　than　I　have　the　right　to　ask；'　I　replied；　'but　among
  gentlefolk　these　generous　sentiments　are　natural。　　If　your　brother
  and　I　were　to　meet　in　the　field；　we　should　meet　like　tigers；　but
  when　he　sees　me　here　disarmed　and　helpless；　he　forgets　his
  animosity。'　　（At　which；　as　I　had　ventured　to　expect；　this　beardless
  champion　coloured　to　the　ears　for　pleasure。）　　'Ah；　my　dear　young
  lady；'　I　continued；　'there　are　many　of　your　countrymen　languishing
  in　my　country；　even　as　I　do　here。　　I　can　but　hope　there　is　found
  some　French　lady　to　convey　to　each　of　them　the　priceless
  consolation　of　her　sympathy。　　You　have　given　me　alms；　and　more　than
  alms　…　hope；　and　while　you　were　absent　I　was　not　forgetful。　　Suffer
  me　to　be　able　to　tell　myself　that　I　have　at　least　tried　to　make　a
  return；　and　for　the　prisoner's　sake　deign　to　accept　this　trifle。'
  So　saying；　I　offered　her　my　lion；　which　she　took；　looked　at　in　some
  embarrassment；　and　then；　catching　sight　of　the　dedication；　broke
  out　with　a　cry。
  'Why；　how　did　you　know　my　name？'　she　exclaimed。
  'When　names　are　so　appropriate；　they　should　be　easily　guessed；'
  said　I；　bowing。　　'But　indeed；　there　was　no　magic　in　the　matter。　　A
  lady　called　you　by　name　on　the　day　I　found　your　handkerchief；　and　I
  was　quick　to　remark　and　cherish　it。'
  'It　is　very；　very　beautiful；'　said　she；　'and　I　shall　be　always
  proud　of　the　inscription。　…　Come；　Ronald；　we　must　be　going。'　　She
  bowed　to　me　as　a　lady　bows　to　her　equal；　and　passed　on　（I　could
  have　sworn）　with　a　heightened　colour。
  I　was　overjoyed：　my　innocent　ruse　had　succeeded；　she　had　taken　my
  gift　without　a　hint　of　payment；　and　she　would　scarce　sleep　in　peace
  till　she　had　made　it　up　to　me。　　No　greenhorn　in　matters　of　the
  heart；　I　was　besides　aware　that　I　had　now　a　resident　ambassador　at
  the　court　of　my　lady。　　The　lion　might　be　ill　chiselled；　it　was
  mine。　　My　hands　had　made　and　held　it；　my　knife　…　or；　to　speak　more
  by　the　mark；　my　rusty　nail　…　had　traced　those　letters；　and　simple
  as　the　words　were；　they　would　keep　repeating　to　her　that　I　was
  grateful　and　that　I　found　her　fair。　　The　boy　had　looked　like　a
  gawky；　and　blushed　at　a　compliment；　I　could　see　besides　that　he
  regarded　me　with　considerable　suspicion；　yet　he　made　so　manly　a
  figure　of　a　lad；　that　I　could　not　withhold　from　him　my　sympathy。
  And　as　for　the　impulse　that　had　made　her　bring　and　introduce　him；　I
  could　not　sufficiently　admire　it。　　It　seemed　to　me　finer　than　wit；
  and　more　tender　than　a　caress。　　It　said　（plain　as　language）；　'I　do
  not　and　I　cannot　know　you。　　Here　is　my　brother　…　you　can　know　him；
  this　is　the　way　to　me　…　follow　it。'
  CHAPTER　II　…　A　TALE　OF　A　PAIR　OF　SCISSORS
  I　WAS　still　plunged　in　these　thoughts　when　the　bell　was　rung　that
  discharged　our　visitors　into　the　street。　　Our　little　market　was　no
  sooner　closed　than　we　were　summoned　to　the　distribution；　and
  received　our　rations；　which　we　were　then　allowed　to　eat　according
  to　fancy　in　any　part　of　our　quarters。
  I　have　said　the　conduct　of　some　of　our　visitors　was　unbearably
  offensive；　it　was　possibly　m