maidens　how　much　he　still　felt　the　unpunished　affronts　of　the　brute…
  tamer。
  It　was　Rose　（who；　as　Dagobert　said；　was　doing　duty　as　eldest）　that　spoke
  for　herself　and　for　her　sister。
  CHAPTER　VI。
  THE　SECRET。
  〃First　of　all；　good　Dagobert；〃　said　Rose；　in　a　gracefully　caressing
  manner；　〃as　we　are　going　to　tell　our　secretyou　must　promise　not　to
  scold　us。〃
  〃You　will　not　scold　your　darlings；　will　you？〃　added　Blanche；　in　a　no　less
  coaxing　voice。
  〃Granted！〃　replied　Dagobert　gravely；　〃particularly　as　I　should　not　well
  know　how　to　set　about　itbut　why　should　I　scold　you。〃
  〃Because　we　ought　perhaps　to　have　told　you　sooner　what　we　are　going　to
  tell　you。〃
  〃Listen；　my　children；〃　said　Dagobert　sententiously；　after　reflecting　a
  moment　on　this　case　of　conscience；　〃one　of　two　things　must　be。　　Either
  you　were　right；　or　else　you　were　wrong；　to　hide　this　from　me。　　If　you
  were　right；　very　well；　if　you　were　wrong；　it　is　done：　so　let's　say　no
  more　about　it。　　Go　onI　am　all　attention。〃
  Completely　reassured　by　this　luminous　decision；　Rose　resumed；　while　she
  exchanged　a　smile　with　her　sister。
  〃Only　think；　Dagobert；　for　two　successive　nights　we　have　had　a　visitor。〃
  〃A　visitor！〃　cried　the　soldier；　drawing　himself　up　suddenly　in　his　chair。
  〃Yes；　a　charming　visitorhe　is　so　very　fair。〃
  〃Fairthe　devil！〃　cried　Dagobert；　with　a　start。
  〃Yes；　fairand　with　blue　eyes；〃　added　Blanche。
  〃Blue　eyesblue　devils！〃　and　Dagobert　again　bounded　on　his　seat。
  〃Yes；　blue　eyesas　long　as　that；〃　resumed　Rose；　placing　the　tip　of　one
  forefinger　about　the　middle　of　the　other。
  〃Zounds！　they　might　be　as　long　as　that；〃　said　the　veteran；　indicating　the
  whole　length　of　his　term　from　the　elbow　they　might　be　as　long　as　that；
  and　it　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　Fair；　and　with　blue　eyes。　　Pray
  what　may　this　mean；　young　ladies？〃　and　Dagobert　rose　from　his　seat　with　a
  severe　and　painfully　unquiet　look。
  〃There　now；　Dagobert；　you　have　begun　to　scold　us　already。〃
  〃Just　at　the　very　commencement；〃　added　Blanche。
  〃Commencement！what；　is　there　to　be　a　sequel？　a　finish？〃
  〃A　finish？　we　hope　not；〃　said　Rose；　laughing　like　mad。
  〃All　we　ask　is；　that　it　should　last　forever；〃　added　Blanche；　sharing　in
  the　hilarity　of　her　sister。
  Dagobert　looked　gravely　from　one　to　the　other　of　the　two　maidens；　as　if
  trying　to　guess　this　enigma；　but　when　he　saw　their　sweet；　innocent　faces
  gracefully　animated　by　a　frank；　ingenuous　laugh；　he　reflected　that　they
  would　not　be　so　gay　if　they　had　any　serious　matter　for　self…reproach；　and
  he　felt　pleased　at　seeing　them　so　merry　in　the　midst　of　their　precarious
  position。
  〃Laugh　on；　my　children！〃　he　said。　　〃I　like　so　much　to　see　you　laugh。〃
  Then；　thinking　that　was　not　precisely　the　way　in　which　he　ought　to　treat
  the　singular　confession　of　the　young　girls；　he　added　in　a　gruff　voice：
  〃Yes；　I　like　to　see　you　laughbut　not　when　you　receive　fair　visitors
  with　blue　eyes；　young　ladies！Come；　acknowledge　that　I'm　an　old　fool　to
  listen　to　such　nonsenseyou　are　only　making　game　of　me。〃
  〃Nay；　what　we　tell　you　is　quite　true。〃
  〃You　know　we　never　tell　stories；〃　added　Rose。
  〃They　are　rightthey　never　fib；〃　said　the　soldier；　in　renewed
  perplexity。
  〃But　how　the　devil　is　such　a　visit　possible？　　I　sleep　before　your　door
  Spoil…sport　sleeps　under　your　windowand　all　the　blue　eyes　and　fair
  locks　in　the　world　must　come　in　by　one　of　those　two　waysand；　if　they
  had　tried　it；　the　dog　and　I；　who　have　both　of　us　quick　ears；　would　have
  received　their　visits　after　our　fashion。　　But　come；　children！　pray；　speak
  to　the　purpose。　　Explain　yourselves！〃
  The　two　sisters；　who　saw；　by　the　expression　of　Dagobert's　countenance；
  that　he　felt　really　uneasy；　determined　no　longer　to　trifle　with　his
  kindness。　　They　exchanged　a　glance；　and　Rose；　taking　in　her　little　hand
  the　coarse；　broad　palm　of　the　veteran；　said　to　him：　〃Come；　do　not　plague
  yourself！　　We　will　tell　you　all　about　the　visits　of　our　friend；　Gabriel。〃
  〃There　you　are　again！He　has　a　name；　then？〃
  〃Certainly；　he　has　a　name。　　It　is　Gabriel。〃
  〃Is　it　not　a　pretty　name；　Dagobert？　　Oh；　you　will　see　and　love；　as　we　do；
  our　beautiful　Gabriel！〃
  〃I'll　love　your　beautiful　Gabriel；　will　I？〃　said　the　veteran；　shaking　his
  head〃Love　your　beautiful　Gabriel？that's　as　it　may　be。　　I　must　first
  know〃Then；　interrupting　himself；　he　added：　〃It　is　queer。　　That　reminds
  me　of　something。〃
  〃Of　what；　Dagobert？〃
  〃Fifteen　years　ago；　in　the　last　letter　that　your　father；　on　his　return
  from　France；　brought　me　from　my　wife：　she　told　me　that；　poor　as　she　was；
  and　with　our　little　growing　Agricola　on　her　hands；　she　had　taken　in　a
  poor　deserted　child；　with　the　face　of　a　cherub；　and　the　name　of　Gabriel
  and　only　a　short　time　since　I　heard　of　him　again。〃
  〃And　from　whom；　then？〃
  〃You　shall　know　that　by　and　by。〃
  〃Well；　thensince　you　have　a　Gabriel　of　your　ownthere　is　the　more
  reason　that　you　should　love　ours。〃
  〃Yours！　but　who　is　yours？　　I　am　on　thorns　till　you　tell　me。〃
  〃You　know；　Dagobert；〃　resumed　Rose；　〃that　Blanche　and　I　are　accustomed　to
  fall　asleep；　holding　each　other　by　the　hand。〃
  〃Yes；　yes；　I　have　often　seen　you　in　your　cradle。　　I　was　never　tired　of
  looking　at　you；　it　was　so　pretty。〃
  〃Well；　thentwo　nights　ago；　we　had　just　fallen　asleep；　when　we　beheld〃
  〃Oh；　it　was　in　a　dream！〃　cried　Dagobert。　　〃Since　you　were　asleep；　it　was
  in　a　dream！〃
  〃Certainly；　in　a　dream…　how　else　would　you　have　it？〃
  〃Pray　let　my　sister　go　on　with　her　tale！〃
  〃All；　well　and　good！〃　said　the　soldier　with　a　sigh　of　satisfaction；　〃well
  and　good！　　To　be　sure；　I　was　tranquil　enough　in　any　casebecausebut
  stillI　like　it　better　to　be　a　dream。　　Continue；　my　little　Rose。〃
  〃Once　asleep；　we　both　dreamt　the　same　thing。〃
  〃What！　both　the　same？〃
  〃Yes；　Dagobert；　for　the　next　morning　when　we　awoke　we　related　our　two
  dreams　to　each　other。〃
  〃And　they　were　exactly　alike。〃
  〃That's　odd　enough；　my　children；　and　what　was　this　dream　all　about？〃
  〃In　our　dream；　Blanche　and　I　were　seated　together；　when　we　saw　enter　a
  beautiful　angel；　with　a　long　white　robe；　fair　locks；　blue　eyes；　and　so
  handsome　and　benign　a　countenance；　that　we　elapsed　our　hands　as　if　to
  pray　to　him。　　Then　he　told　us；　in　a　soft　voice；　that　he　was　called
  Gabriel；　that　our　mother　had　sent　him　to　be　our　guardian　angel；　and　that
  he　would　never　abandon　us。〃
  〃And；　then；〃　added　Blanche；　〃he　took　us　each　by　the　hand；　and；　bending
  his　fair　face　over　us；　looked　at　us　for　a　long　time　in　silence；　with　so
  much　goodnesswith　so　much　goodness；　that　we　could　not　withdraw　our　eyes
  from　his。〃
  〃Yes；〃　resumed　Rose；　〃and　his　look　seemed；　by　turns；　to　attract　us；　or　to
  go　to　our　hearts。　　At　length；　to　our　great　sorrow；　Gabriel　quitted　us；
  having　told　us　that　we　should　see　him　again　the　following　night。〃
  〃And　did　he　make　his　appearance？〃
  〃Certainly。　　Judge　with　what　impatience　we　waited　the　moment　of　sleep；　to
  see　if　our　friend　would　return；　and　visit　us　in　our　slumbers。〃
  〃Humph！〃　said　Dagobert；　scratching　his　forehead；　〃this　reminds　me；　young
  ladies；　that　you　kept　on　rubbing　your　eyes　last　evening；　and　pretending
  to　be　half　asleep。　　I　wager；　it　was　all　to　send　me　away　the　sooner；　and
  to　get　to　your　dream　as　fast　as　possible。〃
  〃Yes；　Dagobert。〃
  〃The　reason　being；　you　could　not　say　to　me；　as　you　would　to　Spoil…sport：
  Lie　down；　Dagobert！　　Wellso　your　friend　Gabriel　came　back？〃
  〃Yes；　and　this　time　he　talked　to　us　a　great　deal；　and　gave　us；　in　the
  name　of　our　mother；　such　touching；　such　noble　counsels；　that　the　next
  day；　Rose　and　I　spent　our　whole　time　in　recalling　every　word　of　our
  guardian　angeland　his　face；　and　his　look〃
  〃This　reminds　me　again；　young　ladies；　that　you　were　whispering　all　along
  the　road　this　morning；　and　that　when　I　spoke　of　white；　you　answered
  black。〃
  〃Yes；　Dagobert；　we　were　thinking　of　Gabriel。〃
  〃And；　ever　since；　we　love　him　as　well　as　he　loves　us。〃
  〃But　he　is　only　one　between　both　of　you！〃
  〃Was　not　our　mother　one　between　us？〃
  〃And　you；　Dagobertare　you　not　also　one　for　us　both？〃
  〃True；　true！　　And　yet；　do　you　know；　I　shall　finish　by　being　jealous　of
  that　Gabriel？〃
  〃You　are　our　friend　by　dayhe　is　our　friend　by　night。〃
  〃Let's　understand　it　clearly。　　If　you　talk　of　him　all　day；　and　dream　of
  him　all　night；　what　will　there　remain　for　me？〃
  〃There　will　remain　for　you　your　two　orphans；　whom　you　love　so　much；〃　said
  Rose。
  〃And　who　have　only　you　left　upon　earth；〃　added　Blanche；　in　a　caressing
  tongue。
  〃Humph！　humph！　that's　right；　coax　the　old　man　over；　Nay；　believe　me；　my
  children；〃　added　the　soldier；　tenderly；　〃I　am　quite　satisfied　with　my
  lot。　　I　can　afford　to　let　you　have　your　Gabriel。　　I　felt　sure　that　Spoil…
  sport　and　myself　could　take　our　rest　in　quiet。　　After　all；　there　is
  nothing　so　astonishing　in　what　you　tell　me；　your　first　dream　struck　your
  fancy；　and　you　talked　so　much　about　it　that　you　had　a　second；　nor　should
  I　be　surprised　if　you　were　to　see　this　fine　fellow　a　third　time。〃
  〃Oh；　Dagobert！　do　not　make　a　jest　of　it！　　They　are　only　dreams；　but　we
  think　our　mother　sends　them　to　us。　　Did　she　not　tell　us　that　orphan
  children　were　watched　over　by　guardian　angels？　　Well；　Gabriel　is　our
  guardian　angel；　he　will　protect　us；　and