growling　again。　　What　can　be　the　matter　with　him？〃
  〃Spoil…sport；　do　not　growl！　　Come　hither；〃　said　Blanche；　striking　with
  her　little　hand　on　the　side　of　the　bed。
  The　dog　rose；　again　growled　deeply；　and　came　to　lay　his　great；
  intelligent　looking　head　on　the　counterpane；　still　obstinately　casting　a
  sidelong　glance　at　the　window；　the　sisters　bent　over　him　to　pat　his　broad
  forehead；　in　the　centre　of　which　was　a　remarkable　bump；　the　certain　sign
  of　extreme　purity　of　race。
  〃What　makes　you　growl　so；　Spoil…sport？〃　said　Blanche；　pulling　him　gently
  by　the　ears〃eh；　my　good　dog？〃
  〃Poor　beast！　he　is　always　so　uneasy　when　Dagobert　is　away。〃
  〃It　is　true；　one　would　think　he　knows　that　he　then　has　a　double　charge
  over　us。〃
  〃Sister；　it　seems　to　me；　Dagobert　is　late　in　coming　to　say　good…night。〃
  〃No　doubt　he　is　attending　to　Jovial。〃
  〃That　makes　me　think　that　we　did　not　bid　good…night　to　dear　old　Jovial。
  〃I　am　sorry　for　it。〃
  〃Poor　beast！　he　seems　so　glad　when　he　licks　our　hands。　　One　would　think
  that　he　thanked　us　for　our　visit。〃
  〃Luckily；　Dagobert　will　have　wished　him　good…night　for　us。〃
  〃Good　Dagobert！　he　is　always　thinking　of　us。　　How　he　spoils　us！　　We
  remain　idle；　and　he　has　all　the　trouble。〃
  〃How　can　we　prevent　it？〃
  〃What　a　pity　that　we　are　not　rich；　to　give　him　a　little　rest。〃
  〃We　rich！　　Alas；　my　sister！　we　shall　never　be　anything　but　poor　orphans。〃
  〃Oh；　there's　the　medal！〃
  〃Doubtless；　there　is　some　hope　attached　to　it；　else　we　should　not　have
  made　this　long　journey。〃
  〃Dagobert　has　promised　to　tell　us　all；　this　evening。〃
  She　was　prevented　from　continuing；　for　two　of　the　windowpanes　flew　to
  pieces　with　a　loud　crash。
  The　orphans；　with　a　cry　of　terror；　threw　themselves　into　each　other's
  arms；　whilst　the　dog　rushed　towards　the　window；　barking　furiously。
  Pale；　trembling；　motionless　with　affright；　clasping　each　other　in　a　close
  embrace；　the　two　sisters　held　their　breath；　in　their　extreme　fear；　they
  durst　not　even　cast　their　eyes　in　the　direction　of　the　window。　　The　dog；
  with　his　forepaws　resting　on　the　sill；　continued　to　bark　with　violence。
  〃Alas！　what　can　it　be？〃　　murmured　the　orphans。　　〃And　Dagobert　not　here！〃
  〃Hark！〃　cried　Rose；　suddenly　seizing　Blanche　by　the　arm；　〃hark！some　one
  coming　up　the　stairs！〃
  〃Good　heaven！　it　does　not　sound　like　the　tread　of　Dagobert。　　Do　you　not
  hear　what　heavy　footsteps？〃
  〃Quick！　come；　Spoil…sport；　and　defend　us！〃　　cried　the　two　sisters　at
  once；　in　an　agony　of　alarm。
  The　boards　of　the　wooden　staircase　really　creaked　beneath　the　weight　of
  unusually　heavy　footsteps；　and　a　singular　kind　of　rustling　was　heard
  along　the　thin　partition　that　divided　the　chamber　from　the　landing…place。
  Then　a　ponderous　mass；　falling　against　the　door　of　the　room；　shook　it
  violently；　and　the　girls；　at　the　very　height　of　terror；　looked　at　each
  other　without　the　power　of　speech。
  The　door　opened。　　It　was　Dagobert。
  At　the　sight　of　him　Rose　and　Blanche　joyfully　exchanged　a　kiss；　as　if
  they　had　just　escaped　from　a　great　danger。
  〃What　is　the　matter？　why　are　you　afraid？〃　　asked　the　soldier　in　surprise。
  〃Oh；　if　you　only　knew！〃　　said　Rose；　panting　as　she　spoke；　for　both　her
  own　heart　and　her　sister's　beat　with　violence。
  〃If　you　knew　what　has　just　happened！　　We　did　not　recognize　your
  footstepsthey　seemed　so　heavyand　then　that　noise　behind　the
  partition！〃
  〃Little　frightened　doves　that　you　are！　　I　could　not　run　up　the　stairs
  like　a　boy　of　fifteen；　seeing　that　I　carried　my　bed　upon　my　backa　straw
  mattress　that　I　have　just　flung　down　before　your　door；　to　sleep　there　as
  usual。〃
  〃Bless　me！　how　foolish　we　must　be；　sister；　not　to　have　thought　of　that！〃
  said　Rose；　looking　at　Blanche。　　And　their　pretty　faces；　which　had
  together　grown　pale；　together　resumed　their　natural　color。
  During　this　scene　the　dog；　still　resting　against　the　window；　did　not
  cease　barking　a　moment。
  〃What　makes　Spoil…sport　bark　in　that　direction；　my　children？〃　　said　the
  soldier。
  〃We　do　not　know。　　Two　of　our　windowpanes　have　just　been　broken。　　That　is
  what　first　frightened　us　so　much。〃
  Without　answering　a　word　Dagobert　flew　to　the　window；　opened　it　quickly；
  pushed　back　the　shutter；　and　leaned　out。
  He　saw　nothing；　it　was　a　dark　night。　　He　listened；　but　heard　only　the
  moaning　of　the　wind。
  〃Spoil…sport；〃　said　he　to　his　dog；　pointing　to　the　open　window；　〃leap
  out；　old　fellow；　and　search！〃　　The　faithful　animal　took　one　mighty　spring
  and　disappeared　by　the　window；　raised　only　about　eight　feet　above　the
  ground。
  Dagobert；　still　leaning　over；　encouraged　his　dog　with　voice　and　gesture：
  〃Search；　old　fellow；　search！　　If　there　is　any　one　there；　pin　himyour
  fangs　are　strongand　hold　him　fast　till　I　come。〃
  But　Spoil…sport　found　no　one。　　They　heard　him　go　backwards　and　forwards；
  snuffing　on　every　side；　and　now　and　then　uttering　a　low　cry　like　a　hound
  at　fault。
  〃There　is　no　one；　my　good　dog；　that's　clear；　or　you　would　have　had　him　by
  the　throat　ere　this。〃　　Then；　turning　to　the　maidens；　who　listened　to　his
  words　and　watched　his　movements　with　uneasiness：　〃My　girls；〃　said　he；
  〃how　were　these　panes　broken？　　Did　you　not　remark？〃
  〃No；　Dagobert；　we　were　talking　together　when　we　heard　a　great　crash；　and
  then　the　glass　fell　into　the　room。〃
  〃It　seemed　to　me；〃　added　Rose；　〃as　if　a　shutter　had　struck　suddenly
  against　the　window。〃
  Dagobert　examined　the　shutter；　and　observed　a　long　movable　hook；　designed
  to　fasten　it　on　the　inside。
  〃It　blows　hard；〃　said　he；　〃the　wind　must　have　swung　round　the　shutter；
  and　this　hook　broke　the　window。　　Yes；　yes；　that　is　it。　　What　interest
  could　anybody　have　to　play　such　a　sorry　trick？〃　　Then；　speaking　to　Spoil…
  sport；　he　asked；　〃Well；　my　good　fellow；　is　there　no　one？〃
  The　dog　answered　by　a　bark；　which　the　soldier　no　doubt　understood　as　a
  negative；　for　he　continued：　〃Well；　then；　come　back！　　Make　the　roundyou
  will　find　some　door　openyou　are　never　at　a　loss。〃
  The　animal　followed　this　advice。　　After　growling　for　a　few　seconds
  beneath　the　window；　he　set　off　at　a　gallop　to　make　the　circuit　of　the
  buildings；　and　come　back　by　the　court…yard。
  〃Be　quite　easy；　my　children！〃　said　the　soldier；　as　he　again　drew　near　the
  orphans；　〃it　was　only　the　wind。〃
  〃We　were　a　good　deal　frightened；〃　said　Rose。
  〃I　believe　you。　　But　now　I　think　of　it；　this　draught　is　likely　to　give
  you　cold。〃　　And　seeking　to　remedy　this　inconvenience；　he　took　from　a
  chair　the　reindeer　pelisse；　and　suspended　it　from　the　spring…catch　of　the
  curtainless　window；　using　the　skirts　to　stop　up　as　closely　as　possible
  the　two　openings　made　by　the　breaking　of　the　panes。
  〃Thanks；　Dagobert；　how　good　you　are！　　We　were　very　uneasy　at　not　seeing
  you。〃
  〃Yes；　you　were　absent　longer　than　usual。　　But　what　is　the　matter　with
  you？〃　added　Rose；　only　just　then　perceiving　that　his　countenance　was
  disturbed　and　pallid；　for　he　was　still　under　the　painful　influence　of　the
  brawl　with　Morok；　〃how　pale　you　are！〃
  〃Me；　my　pets？Oh；　nothing。〃
  〃Yes；　I　assure　you；　your　countenance　is　quite　changed。　　Rose　is　right。〃
  〃I　tell　you　there　is　nothing　the　matter；〃　answered　the　soldier；　not
  without　some　embarrassment；　for　he　was　little　used　to　deceive；　till；
  finding　an　excellent　excuse　for　his　emotion；　he　added：　〃If　I　do　look　at
  all　uncomfortable；　it　is　your　fright　that　has　made　me　so；　for　indeed　it
  was　my　fault。〃
  〃Your　fault！〃
  〃Yes；　for　if　I　had　not　lost　so　much　time　at　supper；　I　should　have　been
  here　when　the　window　was　broken；　and　have　spared　you　the　fright。〃
  〃Anyhow；　you　are　here　now；　and　we　think　no　more　of　it。〃
  〃Why　don't　you　sit　down？〃
  〃I　will；　my　children；　for　we　have　to　talk　together；〃　said　Dagobert；　as　he
  drew　a　chair　close　to　the　head　of　the　bed。
  〃Now　tell　me；　are　you　quite　awake？〃　he　added；　trying　to　smile　in　order　to
  reassure　them。　　〃Are　those　large　eyes　properly　open？〃
  〃Look；　Dagobert！〃　cried　the　two　girls；　smiling　in　their　turn；　and　opening
  their　blue　eyes　to　the　utmost　extent。
  〃Well；　well；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃they　are　yet　far　enough；　from　shutting；
  besides；　it　is　only　nine　o'clock。〃
  〃We　also　have　something　to　tell；　Dagobert；〃　resumed　Rose；　after
  exchanging　glances　with　her　sister。
  〃Indeed！〃
  〃A　secret　to　tell　you。〃
  〃A　secret？〃
  〃Yes；　to　be　sure。〃
  〃Ah；　and　a　very　great　secret！〃　added　Rose；　quite　seriously。
  〃A　secret　which　concerns　us　both；〃　resumed　Blanche。
  〃Faith！　　I　should　think　so。　　What　concerns　the　one　always　concerns　the
  other。　　Are　you　not　always；　as　the　saying　goes；　'two　faces　under　one
  hood？'〃
  〃Truly；　how　can　it　be　otherwise；　when　you　put　our　heads　under　the　great
  hood　of　your　pelisse？〃　said　Rose；　laughing。
  〃There　they　are　again；　mocking…birds！　　One　never　has　the　last　word　with
  them。　　Come；　ladies；　your　secret；　since　a　secret　there　is。〃
  〃Speak；　sister；〃　said　Rose。
  〃No；　miss；　it　is　for　you　to　speak。　　You　are　to…day　on　duty；　as　eldest；
  and　such　an　important　thing　as　telling　a　secret　like　that　you　talk　of
  belongs　of　right　to　the　elder　sister。　　Come；　I　am　listening　to　you；〃
  added　the　soldier；　as　he　forced　a　smile；　the　better　to　conceal　from　the
  maidens　how　much　he　still　felt　the　unpunished　affronts　of　the　brute…
  tamer。
  It　was　Rose　（who；　as　Dagobert　said；　was　doing　duty