along　with　the　children；　and　takes　care　of　them　in　my　absence。　　Come；
  eat！　　Instead　of　staring　at　me　in　that　way。〃
  But　the　horse；　having　just　touched　the　oats　with　his　mouth；　as　if　in
  obedience　to　his　master；　returned　to　them　no　more；　and　began　to　nibble　at
  the　sleeve　of　Dagobert's　coat。
  〃Come；　come；　my　poor　Jovial！　there　is　something　the　matter　with　you。　　You
  have　generally　such　a　good　appetite；　and　now　you　leave　your　corn。　　'Tis
  the　first　time　this　has　happened　since　our　departure；〃　said　the　soldier；
  who　was　now　growing　seriously　uneasy；　for　the　issue　of　his　journey
  greatly　depended　on　the　health　and　vigor　of　his　horse。
  Just　then　a　frightful　roaring；　so　near　that　it　seemed　to　come　from　the
  stable　in　which　they　were；　gave　so　violent　a　shock　to　Jovial；　that　with
  one　effort　he　broke　his　halter；　leaped　over　the　bar　that　marked　his
  place；　and　rushing　at　the　open　door；　escaped　into　the　court…yard。
  Dagobert　had　himself　started　at　the　suddenness　of　this　wild　and　fearful
  sound；　which　at　once　explained　to　him　the　cause　of　his　horse's　terror。
  The　adjoining　stable　was　occupied　by　the　itinerant　menagerie　of　the
  brute…tamer；　and　was　only　separated　by　the　partition；　which　supported　the
  mangers。　　The　three　horses　of　the　Prophet；　accustomed　to　these　howlings；
  had　remained　perfectly　quiet。
  〃Good！〃　said　the　soldier；　recovering　himself；　〃I　understand　it　now。
  Jovial　has　heard　another　such　roar　before；　and　he　can　scent　the　animals
  of　that　insolent　scoundrel。　　It　is　enough　to　frighten　him；〃　added　he；　as
  he　carefully　collected　the　oats　from　the　manger；　〃once　in　another　stable；
  and　there　must　be　others　in　this　place；　he　will　no　longer　leave　his　peck；
  and　we　shall　be　able　to　start　early　to…morrow　morning！〃
  The　terrified　horse；　after　running　and　galloping　about　the　yard；　returned
  at　the　voice　of　the　soldier；　who　easily　caught　him　by　the　broken　halter；
  and　a　hostler；　whom　Dagobert　asked　if　there　was　another　vacant　stable；
  having　pointed　out　one　that　was　only　intended　for　a　single　animal；　Jovial
  was　comfortably　installed　there。
  When　delivered　from　his　ferocious　neighbors；　the　horse　became　tranquil　as
  before；　and　even　amused　himself　much　at　the　expense　of　Dagobert's　top…
  coat；　which；　thanks　to　his　tricks；　might　have　afforded　immediate
  occupation　for　his　master's　needle；　if　the　latter　had　not　been　fully
  engaged　in　admiring　the　eagerness　with　which　Jovial　dispatched　his
  provender。　　Completely　reassured　on　his　account；　the　soldier　shut　the
  door　of　the　stable；　and　proceeded　to　get　his　supper　as　quickly　as
  possible；　in　order　to　rejoin　the　orphans；　whom　he　reproached　himself　with
  having　left　so　long。
  CHAPTER　V。
  ROSE　AND　BLANCHE。
  The　orphans　occupied　a　dilapidated　chamber　in　one　of　the　most　remote
  wings　of　the　inn；　with　a　single　window　opening　upon　the　country。　　A　bed
  without　curtains；　a　table；　and　two　chairs；　composed　the　more　than　modest
  furniture　of　this　retreat；　which　was　now　lighted　by　a　lamp。　　On　the
  table；　which　stood　near　the　window；　was　deposited　the　knapsack　of　the
  soldier。
  The　great　Siberian　dog；　who　was　lying　close　to　the　door；　had　already
  twice　uttered　a　deep　growl；　and　turned　his　head　towards　the　windowbut
  without　giving　any　further　affect　to　this　hostile　manifestation。
  The　two　sisters；　half　recumbent　in　their　bed；　were　clad　in　long　white
  wrappers；　buttoned　at　the　neck　and　wrists。　　They　wore　no　caps；　but　their
  beautiful　chestnut　hair　was　confined　at　the　temples　by　a　broad　piece　of
  tape；　so　that　it　might　not　get　tangled　during　the　night。　　These　white
  garments；　and　the　white　fillet　that　like　a　halo　encircled　their　brows；
  gave　to　their　fresh　and　blooming　faces　a　still　more　candid　expression。
  The　orphans　laughed　and　chatted；　for；　in　spite　of　some　early　sorrows；
  they　still　retained　the　ingenuous　gayety　of　their　age。　　The　remembrance
  of　their　mother　would　sometimes　make　them　sad；　but　this　sorrow　had　in　it
  nothing　bitter；　it　was　rather　a　sweet　melancholy；　to　be　sought　instead　of
  shunned。　　For　them；　this　adored　mother　was　not　deadshe　was　only　absent。
  Almost　as　ignorant　as　Dagobert；　with　regard　to　devotional　exercises；　for
  in　the　desert　where　they　had　lived　there　was　neither　church　nor　priest；
  their　faith；　as　was　already　said；　consisted　in　thisthat　God；　just　and
  good；　had　so　much　pity　for　the　poor　mothers　whose　children　were　left　on
  earth；　that　he　allowed　them　to　look　down　upon　them　from　highest　heaven
  to　see　them　always；　to　hear　them　always；　and　sometimes　to　send　fair
  guardian　angels　to　protect　therein。　　Thanks　to　this　guileless　illusion；
  the　orphans；　persuaded　that　their　mother　incessantly　watched　over　them；
  felt；　that　to　do　wrong　would　be　to　afflict　her；　and　to　forfeit　the
  protection　of　the　good　angels。This　was　the　entire　theology　of　Rose　and
  Blanchea　creed　sufficient　for　such　pure　and　loving　souls。
  Now；　on　the　evening　in　question；　the　two　sisters　chatted　together　whilst
  waiting　for　Dagobert。　　Their　theme　interested　them　much；　for；　since　some
  days；　they　had　a　secret；　a　great　secret；　which　often　quickened　the
  beatings　of　their　innocent　hearts；　often　agitated　their　budding　bosoms；
  changed　to　bright　scarlet　the　roses　on　their　cheeks；　and　infused　a
  restless　and　dreamy　langour　into　the　soft　blue　of　their　large　eyes。
  Rose；　this　evening；　occupied　the　edge　of　the　couch；　with　her　rounded　arms
  crossed　behind　her　head；　which　was　half　turned　towards　her　sister；
  Blanche；　with　her　elbow　resting　on　the　bolster；　looked　at　her　smilingly；
  and　said：　　〃Do　you　think　he　will　come　again　to…night？〃
  〃Oh；　yes！　certainly。　　He　promised　us　yesterday。〃
  〃He　is　so　good；　he　would　not　break　his　promise。〃
  〃And　so　handsome；　with　his　long　fair　curls。〃
  〃And　his　namewhat　a　charming　name！How　well　it　suits　his　face。〃
  〃And　what　a　sweet　smile　and　soft　voice；　when　he　says　to　us；　taking　us　by
  the　hand：　'My　children；　bless　God　that　he　has　given　you　one　soul。　　What
  others　seek　elsewhere；　you　will　find　in　yourselves。'〃
  〃'Since　your　two　hearts；'　he　added；　'only　make　one。'〃
  〃What　pleasure　to　remember　his　words；　sister！〃
  〃We　are　so　attentive！　　When　I　see　you　listening　to　him；　it　is　as　if　I　saw
  myself；　my　dear　little　mirror！〃　　said　Rose；　laughing；　and　kissing　her
  sister's　forehead。　　〃Wellwhen　he　speaks；　youror　rather　our　eyesare
  wide；　wide　open；　our　lips　moving　as　if　we　repeated　every　word　after　him。
  It　is　no　wonder　we　forget　nothing　that　he　says。〃
  〃And　what　he　says　is　so　grand；　so　noble；　and　generous。〃
  〃Then；　my　sister；　as　he　goes　on　talking；　what　good　thoughts　rise　within
  us！　　If　we　could　but　always　keep　them　in　mind。〃
  〃Do　not　be　afraid！　they　will　remain　in　our　hearts；　like　little　birds　in
  their　mother's　nests。〃
  〃And　how　lucky　it　is；　Rose；　that　he　loves　us　both　at　the　same　time！〃
  〃He　could　not　do　otherwise；　since　we　have　but　one　heart　between　us。〃
  〃How　could　he　love　Rose；　without　loving　Blanche？〃
  〃What　would　have　become　of　the　poor；　neglected　one？〃
  〃And　then　again　he　would　have　found　it　so　difficult　to　choose。〃
  〃We　are　so　much　like　one　another。〃
  〃So；　to　save　himself　that　trouble；〃　said　Rose；　laughing；　〃he　has　chosen
  us　both。〃
  〃And　is　it　not　the　best　way？　　He　is　alone　to　love　us；　we　are　two　together
  to　think　of　him。〃
  〃Only　he　must　not　leave　us　till　we　reach　Paris。〃
  〃And　in　Paris；　toowe　must　see　him　there　also。〃
  〃Oh；　above　all　at　Paris；　it　will　be　good　to　have　him　with　usand
  Dagobert；　tooin　that　great　city。　　Only　think；　Blanche；　how　beautiful　it
  must　be。〃
  〃Paris！it　must　be　like　a　city　all　of　gold。〃
  〃A　city；　where　every　one　must　be　happy；　since　it　is　so　beautiful。〃
  〃But　ought　we；　poor　orphans；　dare　so　much　as　to　enter　it？　　How　people
  will　look　at　us！〃
  〃Yesbut　every　one　there　is　happy；　every　one　must　be　good　also。〃
  〃They　will　love　us。〃
  〃And；　besides；　we　shall　be　with　our　friend　with　the　fair　hair　and　blue
  eyes。〃
  〃He　has　yet　told　us　nothing　of　Paris。〃
  〃He　has　not　thought　of　it；　we　must　speak　to　him　about　it　this　very
  night。〃
  〃If　he　is　in　the　mood　for　talking。　　Often　you　know；　he　likes　best　to　gaze
  on　us　in　silencehis　eyes　on　our　eyes。〃
  〃Yes。　　In　those　moments；　his　look　recalls　to　me　the　gaze　of　our　dear
  mother。〃
  〃And；　as　she　sees　it　all；　how　pleased　she　must　be　at　what　has　happened　to
  us！〃
  〃Because；　when　we　are　so　much　beloved；　we　must；　I　hope；　deserve　it。〃
  〃See　what　a　vain　thing　it　is！〃　said　Blanche；　smoothing　with　her　slender
  fingers　the　parting　of　the　hair　on　her　sister's　forehead。
  After　a　moment's　reflection；　Rose　said　to　her：　〃Don't　you　think　we　should
  relate　all　this　to　Dagobert？〃
  〃If　you　think　so；　let　us　do　it。〃
  〃We　tell　him　everything；　as　we　told　everything　to　mother。　　Why　should　we
  conceal　this　from　him？〃
  〃Especially　as　it　is　something　which　gives　us　so　much　pleasure。〃
  〃Do　you　not　find　that；　since　we　have　known　our　friend；　our　hearts　beat
  quicker　and　stronger？〃
  〃Yes；　they　seem　to　be　more　full。〃
  〃The　reason　why　is　plain　enough；　our　friend　fills　up　a　good　space　in
  them。〃
  〃Well；　we　will　do　best　to　tell　Dagobert　what　a　lucky　star　ours　is。〃
  〃You　are　right〃　　At　this　moment　the　dog　gave　another　deep　growl。
  〃Sister；〃　said　Rose；　as　she　pressed　closer　to　Blanche；　〃there　is　the　dog
  growling　again。　　What　can　be　the　matter　with　him？〃
  〃Spoil…sport