she　was　not　quite　in　good　taste　…　you　should　have　seen　her　and
  heard　her　at　home！　　She　took　so　much　interest。　　Every　patch　in　your
  clothes　made　us　sorry；　it　should　have　been　a　sister's　work。'
  'That　is　what　I　never　had　…　a　sister；'　said　I。　　'But　since　you　say
  that　I　did　not　make　you　laugh　…　'
  'O；　Mr。　St。　Ives！　never！'　she　exclaimed。　　'Not　for　one　moment。　　It
  was　all　too　sad。　　To　see　a　gentleman　　…　'
  'In　the　clothes　of　a　harlequin；　and　begging？'　I　suggested。
  'To　see　a　gentleman　in　distress；　and　nobly　supporting　it；'　she
  said。
  'And　do　you　not　understand；　my　fair　foe；'　said　I；　'that　even　if　all
  were　as　you　say　…　even　if　you　had　thought　my　travesty　were　becoming
  …　I　should　be　only　the　more　anxious；　for　my　sake；　for　my　country's
  sake；　and　for　the　sake　of　your　kindness；　that　you　should　see　him
  whom　you　have　helped　as　God　meant　him　to　be　seen？　that　you　should
  have　something　to　remember　him　by　at　least　more　characteristic　than
  a　misfitting　sulphur…yellow　suit；　and　half　a　week's　beard？'
  'You　think　a　great　deal　too　much　of　clothes；'　she　said。　　'I　am　not
  that　kind　of　girl。'
  'And　I　am　afraid　I　am　that　kind　of　man；'　said　I。　　'But　do　not　think
  of　me　too　harshly　for　that。　　I　talked　just　now　of　something　to
  remember　by。　　I　have　many　of　them　myself；　of　these　beautiful
  reminders；　of　these　keepsakes；　that　I　cannot　be　parted　from　until　I
  lose　memory　and　life。　　Many　of　them　are　great　things；　many　of　them
  are　high　virtues　…　charity；　mercy；　faith。　　But　some　of　them　are
  trivial　enough。　　Miss　Flora；　do　you　remember　the　day　that　I　first
  saw　you；　the　day　of　the　strong　east　wind？　　Miss　Flora；　shall　I　tell
  you　what　you　wore？'
  We　had　both　risen　to　our　feet；　and　she　had　her　hand　already　on　the
  door　to　go。　　Perhaps　this　attitude　emboldened　me　to　profit　by　the
  last　seconds　of　our　interview；　and　it　certainly　rendered　her　escape
  the　more　easy。
  'O；　you　are　too　romantic！'　she　said；　laughing；　and　with　that　my　sun
  was　blown　out；　my　enchantress　had　fled　away；　and　I　was　again　left
  alone　in　the　twilight　with　the　lady　hens。
  CHAPTER　IX　…　THREE　IS　COMPANY；　AND　FOUR　NONE
  THE　rest　of　the　day　I　slept　in　the　corner　of　the　hen…house　upon
  Flora's　shawl。　　Nor　did　I　awake　until　a　light　shone　suddenly　in　my
  eyes；　and　starting　up　with　a　gasp　（for；　indeed；　at　the　moment　I
  dreamed　I　was　still　swinging　from　the　Castle　battlements）　I　found
  Ronald　bending　over　me　with　a　lantern。　　It　appeared　it　was　past
  midnight；　that　I　had　slept　about　sixteen　hours；　and　that　Flora　had
  returned　her　poultry　to　the　shed　and　I　had　heard　her　not。　　I　could
  not　but　wonder　if　she　had　stooped　to　look　at　me　as　I　slept。　　The
  puritan　hens　now　slept　irremediably；　and　being　cheered　with　the
  promise　of　supper　I　wished　them　an　ironical　good…night；　and　was
  lighted　across　the　garden　and　noiselessly　admitted　to　a　bedroom　on
  the　ground　floor　of　the　cottage。　　There　I　found　soap；　water；　razors
  …　offered　me　diffidently　by　my　beardless　host　…　and　an　outfit　of
  new　clothes。　　To　be　shaved　again　without　depending　on　the　barber　of
  the　gaol　was　a　source　of　a　delicious；　if　a　childish　joy。　　My　hair
  was　sadly　too　long；　but　I　was　none　so　unwise　as　to　make　an　attempt
  on　it　myself。　　And；　indeed；　I　thought　it　did　not　wholly　misbecome
  me　as　it　was；　being　by　nature　curly。　　The　clothes　were　about　as
  good　as　I　expected。　　The　waistcoat　was　of　toilenet；　a　pretty　piece；
  the　trousers　of　fine　kerseymere；　and　the　coat　sat　extraordinarily
  well。　　Altogether；　when　I　beheld　this　changeling　in　the　glass；　I
  kissed　my　hand　to　him。
  'My　dear　fellow；'　said　I；　'have　you　no　scent？'
  'Good　God；　no！'　cried　Ronald。　　'What　do　you　want　with　scent？'
  'Capital　thing　on　a　campaign；'　said　I。　　'But　I　can　do　without。'
  I　was　now　led；　with　the　same　precautions　against　noise；　into　the
  little　bow…windowed　dining…room　of　the　cottage。　　The　shutters　were
  up；　the　lamp　guiltily　turned　low；　the　beautiful　Flora　greeted　me　in
  a　whisper；　and　when　I　was　set　down　to　table；　the　pair　proceeded　to
  help　me　with　precautions　that　might　have　seemed　excessive　in　the
  Ear　of　Dionysius。
  'She　sleeps　up　there；'　observed　the　boy；　pointing　to　the　ceiling；
  and　the　knowledge　that　I　was　so　imminently　near　to　the　resting…
  place　of　that　gold　eyeglass　touched　even　myself　with　some
  uneasiness。
  Our　excellent　youth　had　imported　from　the　city　a　meat　pie；　and　I
  was　glad　to　find　it　flanked　with　a　decanter　of　really　admirable
  wine　of　Oporto。　　While　I　ate；　Ronald　entertained　me　with　the　news
  of　the　city；　which　had　naturally　rung　all　day　with　our　escape：
  troops　and　mounted　messengers　had　followed　each　other　forth　at　all
  hours　and　in　all　directions；　but　according　to　the　last　intelligence
  no　recapture　had　been　made。　　Opinion　in　town　was　very　favourable　to
  us：　our　courage　was　applauded；　and　many　professed　regret　that　our
  ultimate　chance　of　escape　should　be　so　small。　　The　man　who　had
  fallen　was　one　Sombref；　a　peasant；　he　was　one　who　slept　in　a
  different　part　of　the　Castle；　and　I　was　thus　assured　that　the　whole
  of　my　former　companions　had　attained　their　liberty；　and　Shed　A　was
  untenanted。
  From　this　we　wandered　insensibly　into　other　topics。　　It　is
  impossible　to　exaggerate　the　pleasure　I　took　to　be　thus　sitting　at
  the　same　table　with　Flora；　in　the　clothes　of　a　gentleman；　at
  liberty　and　in　the　full　possession　of　my　spirits　and　resources；　of
  all　of　which　I　had　need；　because　it　was　necessary　that　I　should
  support　at　the　same　time　two　opposite　characters；　and　at　once　play
  the　cavalier　and　lively　soldier　for　the　eyes　of　Ronald；　and　to　the
  ears　of　Flora　maintain　the　same　profound　and　sentimental　note　that
  I　had　already　sounded。　　Certainly　there　are　days　when　all　goes　well
  with　a　man；　when　his　wit；　his　digestion；　his　mistress　are　in　a
  conspiracy　to　spoil　him；　and　even　the　weather　smiles　upon　his
  wishes。　　I　will　only　say　of　myself　upon　that　evening　that　I
  surpassed　my　expectations；　and　was　privileged　to　delight　my　hosts。
  Little　by　little　they　forgot　their　terrors　and　I　my　caution；　until
  at　last　we　were　brought　back　to　earth　by　a　catastrophe　that　might
  very　easily　have　been　foreseen；　but　was　not　the　less　astonishing　to
  us　when　it　occurred。
  I　had　filled　all　the　glasses。　　'I　have　a　toast　to　propose；'　I
  whispered；　'or　rather　three；　but　all　so　inextricably　interwoven
  that　they　will　not　bear　dividing。　　I　wish　first　to　drink　to　the
  health　of　a　brave　and　therefore　a　generous　enemy。　　He　found　me
  disarmed；　a　fugitive　and　helpless。　　Like　the　lion；　he　disdained　so
  poor　a　triumph；　and　when　he　might　have　vindicated　an　easy　valour；
  he　preferred　to　make　a　friend。　　I　wish　that　we　should　next　drink　to
  a　fairer　and　a　more　tender　foe。　　She　found　me　in　prison；　she
  cheered　me　with　a　priceless　sympathy；　what　she　has　done　since；　I
  know　she　has　done　in　mercy；　and　I　only　pray　…　I　dare　scarce　hope　…
  her　mercy　may　prove　to　have　been　merciful。　　And　I　wish　to　conjoin
  with　these；　for　the　first；　and　perhaps　the　last　time；　the　health　…
  and　I　fear　I　may　already　say　the　memory　…　of　one　who　has　fought；
  not　always　without　success；　against　the　soldiers　of　your　nation；
  but　who　came　here；　vanquished　already；　only　to　be　vanquished　again
  by　the　loyal　hand　of　the　one；　by　the　unforgettable　eyes　of　the
  other。'
  It　is　to　be　feared　I　may　have　lent　at　times　a　certain　resonancy　to
  my　voice；　it　is　to　be　feared　that　Ronald；　who　was　none　the　better
  for　his　own　hospitality；　may　have　set　down　his　glass　with　something
  of　a　clang。　　Whatever　may　have　been　the　cause；　at　least；　I　had
  scarce　finished　my　compliment　before　we　were　aware　of　a　thump　upon
  the　ceiling　overhead。　　It　was　to　be　thought　some　very　solid　body
  had　descended　to　the　floor　from　the　level　（possibly）　of　a　bed。　　I
  have　never　seen　consternation　painted　in　more　lively　colours　than
  on　the　faces　of　my　hosts。　　It　was　proposed　to　smuggle　me　forth　into
  the　garden；　or　to　conceal　my　form　under　a　horsehair　sofa　which
  stood　against　the　wall。　　For　the　first　expedient；　as　was　now　plain
  by　the　approaching　footsteps；　there　was　no　longer　time；　from　the
  second　I　recoiled　with　indignation。
  'My　dear　creatures；'　said　I；　'let　us　die；　but　do　not　let　us　be
  ridiculous。'
  The　words　were　still　upon　my　lips　when　the　door　opened　and　my
  friend　of　the　gold　eyeglass　appeared；　a　memorable　figure；　on　the
  threshold。　　In　one　hand　she　bore　a　bedroom　candlestick；　in　the
  other；　with　the　steadiness　of　a　dragoon；　a　horse…pistol。　　She　was
  wound　about　in　shawls　which　did　not　wholly　conceal　the　candid
  fabric　of　her　nightdress；　and　surmounted　by　a　nightcap　of
  portentous　architecture。　　Thus　accoutred；　she　made　her　entrance；
  laid　down　the　candle　and　pistol；　as　no　longer　called　for；　looked
  about　the　room　with　a　silence　more　eloquent　than　oaths；　and　then；
  in　a　thrilling　voice　…　'To　whom　have　I　the　pleasure？'　she　said；
  addressing　me　with　a　ghos