flushed；　his　eyes　bright；　and　looking　delighted。
  〃I　heard　the　noise　of　plates　and　dishes　in　the　next　room；　and
  Marchas　said　to　me；　smiling　in　a　beatific　manner：　'This　is
  famous；　I　found　the　champagne　under　the　flight　of　steps　outside；
  the　brandyfifty　bottles　of　the　very　finestin　the　kitchen
  garden　under　a　pear…tree；　which　did　not　look　to　me　to　be　quite
  straight；　when　I　looked　at　it　by　the　light　of　my　lantern。　As　for
  solids；　we　have　two　fowls；　a　goose；　a　duck；　and　three　pigeons。
  They　are　being　cooked　at　this　moment。　It　is　a　delightful　part　of
  the　country。'
  〃I　had　sat　down　opposite　to　him；　and　the　fire　in　the　grate　was
  burning　my　nose　and　cheeks。
  〃　'Where　did　you　find　this　wood？'　I　asked。
  〃　'Splendid　wood；'　he　replied。　'The　owner's　carriage。　It　is　the
  paint　which　is　causing　all　this　flame；　an　essence　of　alcohol　and
  varnish。　A　capital　house！'
  〃I　laughed；　for　I　found　the　creature　was　funny；　and　he　went　on：
  'Fancy　this　being　the　Epiphany！　I　have　had　a　bean　put　into　the
  goose；　but　there　is　no　queen；　it　is　really　very　annoying！'　And　I
  repeated　like　an　echo：　'It　is　annoying；　but　what　do　you　want　me
  to　do　in　the　matter？'
  〃　'To　find　some；　of　course。'
  〃　'Some　women。　Women？you　must　be　mad！'
  〃　'I　managed　to　find　the　brandy　under　the　pear…tree；　and　the
  champagne　under　the　steps；　and　yet　there　was　nothing　to　guide　me；
  while　as　for　you；　a　petticoat　is　a　sure　sign。　Go　and　look；　old
  fellow。'
  〃He　looked　so　grave；　so　convinced；　that　I　could　not　tell　whether
  he　was　joking　or　not。　So　I　replied：　'Look　here；　Marchas；　are　you
  having　a　joke　with　me？'
  〃　'I　never　joke　on　duty。'
  〃　'But　where　the　devil　do　you　expect　me　to　find　any　women？'
  〃　'Where　you　like；　there　must　be　two　or　three　remaining　in　the
  neighborhood；　so　ferret　them　out　and　bring　them　here。'
  〃I　got　up；　for　it　was　too　hot　in　front　of　the　fire；　and　Marchas
  went　on：　'Do　you　want　an　idea？'
  〃　'Yes。'
  〃　'Go　and　see　the　priest。'
  〃　'The　priest？　What　for？'
  〃　'Ask　him　to　supper；　and　beg　him　to　bring　a　woman　with　him。'
  〃　'The　priest！　A　woman！　Ha！　ha！　ha！'
  〃But　Marchas　continued　with　extraordinary　gravity：　'I　am　not
  laughing；　go　and　find　the　priest　and　tell　him　how　we　are
  situated；　and；　as　he　must　be　horribly　dull；　he　will　come。　But
  tell　him　that　we　want　one　woman　at　least；　a　lady；　of　course；
  since　we　are　all　men　of　the　world。　He　is　sure　to　have　the　names
  of　his　female　parishioners　on　the　tips　of　his　fingers；　and　if
  there　is　one　to　suit　us；　and　you　manage　it　well；　he　will　indicate
  her　to　you。'
  〃　'Come；　come；　Marchas；　what　are　you　thinking　of？'
  〃　'My　dear　Garens；　you　can　do　this　quite　well。　It　will　be　very
  funny。　We　are　well　bred；　by　Jove！　and　we　will　put　on　our　most
  distinguished　manners　and　our　grandest　style。　Tell　the　abbe　who
  we　are；　make　him　laugh；　soften　him；　seduce　him；　and　persuade
  him！'
  〃　'No；　it　is　impossible。'
  〃He　drew　his　chair　close　to　mine；　and　as　he　knew　my　weak　side；
  the　scamp　continued：　'Just　think　what　a　swagger　thing　it　will　be
  to　do；　and　how　amusing　to　tell　about；　the　whole　army　will　talk
  about　it；　and　it　will　give　you　a　famous　reputation。'
  〃I　hesitated；　for　the　adventure　rather　tempted　me。　He　persisted：
  'Come；　my　little　Garens。　You　are　in　command　of　this　detachment；
  and　you　alone　can　go　and　call　on　the　head　of　the　church　in　this
  neighborhood。　I　beg　of　you　to　go；　and　I　promise　you　that　after
  the　war；　I　will　relate　the　whole　affair　in　verse　in　the　〃Revue
  des　Deux　Mondes。〃　You　owe　this　much　to　your　men；　for　you　have
  made　them　march　enough　during　the　last　month。'
  〃I　got　up　at　last　and　asked：　'Where　is　the　parsonage？'
  〃　'Take　the　second　turning　at　the　end　of　the　street；　you　will
  then　see　an　avenue；　and　at　the　end　of　the　avenue　you　will　find
  the　church。　The　parsonage　is　beside　it。'　As　I　departed　he　called
  out：　'Tell　him　the　bill　of　fare；　to　make　him　hungry！'
  〃I　discovered　the　ecclesiastic's　little　house　without　any
  difficulty；　it　was　by　the　side　of　a　large；　ugly；　brick　church。　As
  there　was　neither　bell　nor　knocker；　I　knocked　at　the　door　with　my
  fist；　and　a　loud　voice　from　inside　asked：　'Who　is　there？'　to
  which　I　replied：　'A　quartermaster　of　hussars。'
  〃I　heard　the　noise　of　bolts；　and　of　a　key　being　turned。　Then　I
  found　myself　face　to　face　with　a　tall　priest　with　a　large
  stomach；　the　chest　of　a　prize…fighter；　formidable　hands
  projecting　from　turned…up　sleeves；　a　red　face；　and　the　looks　of　a
  kind　man。　I　gave　him　a　military　salute　and　said：　'Good　day；
  Monsieur　le　Cure。'
  〃He　had　feared　a　surprise；　some　marauders'　ambush；　and　he　smiled
  as　he　replied：　'Good　day；　my　friend；　come　in。'　I　followed　him
  into　a　small　room；　with　a　red　tiled　floor；　in　which　a　small　fire
  was　burning；　very　different　to　Marchas's　furnace。　He　gave　me　a
  chair　and　said：　'What　can　I　do　for　you？'
  〃　'Monsieur；　allow　me　first　of　all　to　introduce　myself'；　and　I
  gave　him　my　card；　which　he　took　and　read　half　aloud：　'The　Comte
  de　Garens。'
  〃I　continued：　'There　are　eleven　of　us　here　Monsieur　l'Abbe；　five
  on　grand　guard；　and　six　installed　at　the　house　of　an　unknown
  inhabitant。　The　names　of　the　six　are；　Garens　（that　is　I）；　Pierre
  de　Marchas；　Ludovic　de　Ponderel；　Baron　d'Etreillis；　Karl
  Massouligny；　the　painter's　son；　and　Joseph　Herbon；　a　young
  musician。　I　have　come　to　ask　you；　in　their　name　and　my　own；　to　do
  us　the　honor　of　supping　with　us。　It　is　an　Epiphany　supper；
  Monsieur　le　Cure；　and　we　should　like　to　make　it　a　little
  cheerful。'
  〃The　priest　smiled　and　murmured：　'It　seems　to　me　to　be　hardly　a
  suitable　occasion　for　amusing　oneself。'
  〃I　replied：　'We　are　fighting　every　day；　Monsieur。　Fourteen　of　our
  comrades　have　been　killed　in　a　month；　and　three　fell　as　late　as
  yesterday。　That　is　war。　We　stake　our　life　every　moment；　have　we
  not；　therefore；　the　right　to　amuse　ourselves　freely？　We　are
  Frenchmen；　we　like　to　laugh；　and　we　can　laugh　everywhere。　Our
  fathers　laughed　on　the　scaffold！　This　evening　we　should　like　to
  brighten　ourselves　up　a　little；　like　gentlemen；　and　not　like
  soldiers；　you　understand　me；　I　hope。　Are　we　wrong？'
  〃He　replied　quickly：　'You　are　quite　right；　my　friend；　and　I
  accept　your　invitation　with　great　pleasure。'　Then　he　called　out：
  'Hermance！'
  〃An　old；　bent；　wrinkled；　horrible；　peasant　woman　appeared　and
  said：　'What　do　you　want？'
  〃　'I　shall　not　dine　at　home；　my　daughter。'
  〃　'Where　are　you　going　to　dine　then？'
  〃　'With　some　gentlemen；　hussars。'
  〃I　felt　inclined　to　say：　'Bring　your　servant　with　you；'　just　to
  see　Marchas's　face；　but　I　did　not　venture　to；　and　continued：　'Do
  you　know　anyone　among　your　parishioners；　male　or　female；　whom　I
  could　invite　as　well？'　He　hesitated；　reflected；　and　then　said：
  'No；　I　do　not　know　anybody！'
  〃I　persisted：　'Nobody？　Come；　Monsieur；　think；　it　would　be　very
  nice　to　have　some　ladies；　I　mean　to　say；　some　married　couples！　I
  know　nothing　about　your　parishioners。　The　baker　and　his　wife；　the
  grocer；　thethethewatchmakertheshoemaker　thethe
  chemist　with　his　wife。　We　have　a　good　spread；　and　plenty　of　wine；
  and　we　should　be　enchanted　to　leave　pleasant　recollections　of
  ourselves　behind　us　with　the　people　here。'
  〃The　priest　thought　again　for　a　long　time　and　then　said
  resolutely：　'No；　there　is　nobody。'
  〃I　began　to　laugh。　'By　Jove；　Monsieur　le　Cure；　it　is　very　vexing
  not　to　have　an　Epiphany　queen；　for　we　have　the　bean。　Come；　think。
  Is　there　not　a　married　mayor；　or　a　married　deputy…mayor；　or　a
  married　municipal　councilor；　or　schoolmaster？'
  〃　'No　all　the　ladies　have　gone　away。'
  〃　'What；　is　there　not　in　the　whole　place　some　good　tradesman's
  wife　with　her　good　tradesman；　to　whom　we　might　give　this
  pleasure；　for　it　would　be　a　pleasure　to　them；　a　great　pleasure
  under　present　circumstances？'
  〃But　suddenly　the　cure　began　to　laugh；　and　he　laughed　so
  violently　that　he　fairly　shook；　and　exclaimed：　'Ha！　ha！　ha！　I
  have　got　what　you　want；　yes。　I　have　got　what　you　want！　Ha！　ha！
  ha！　We　will　laugh　and　enjoy　ourselves；　my　children；　we　will　have
  some　fun。　How　pleased　the　ladies　will　be；　I　say；　how　delighted
  they　will　be。　Ha！　ha！　Where　are　you　staying？'
  〃I　described　the　house；　and　he　understood　where　it　was。　'Very
  good；'　he　said。　'It　belongs　to　Monsieur　Bertin…Lavaille。　I　will
  be　there　in　half　an　hour；　with　four　ladies。　Ha！　ha！　ha！　four
  ladies！'
  〃He　went　out　with　me；　still　laughing；　and　left　me；　repeating：
  'That　is　capital；　in　half　an　hour　at　Bertin…Lavaille's　house。'
  〃I　returned　quickly；　very　much　astonished　and　very　much　puzzled。
  'Covers　for　how　many？'　Marchas　asked；　as　soon　as　he　saw　me。
  〃　'Eleven。　There　are　six　of　us　hussars　besides　the　priest　and
  four　ladies。'
  〃He　was　thunderstruck；　and　I　triumphant；　and　he　repeated　'Four
  ladies！　Did　you　say；　four　ladies？'
  〃　'I　said　four　women。'
  〃　'Real　women？'
  〃　'Real　women。'
  〃　'Well；　accept　my　compliments！'
  〃　'I　wil