children　were　watched　over　by　guardian　angels？　　Well；　Gabriel　is　our
  guardian　angel；　he　will　protect　us；　and　he　will　protect　you　also。〃
  〃Very　kind　of　him　to　think　of　me；　but　you　see；　my　dear　children；　for　the
  matter　of　defence；　I　prefer　the　dog；　he　is　less　fair　than　your　angel；　but
  he　has　better　teeth；　and　that　is　more　to　be　depended　on。〃
  〃How　provoking　you　are；　Dagobertalways　jesting！〃
  〃It　is　true；　you　can　laugh　at　everything。〃
  〃Yes；　I　am　astonishingly　gay；　I　laugh　with　my　teeth　shut；　in　the　style　of
  old　Jovial。　　Come；　children；　don't　scold　me：　I　know　I　am　wrong。　　The
  remembrance　of　your　dear　mother　is　mixed　with　this　dream；　and　you　do　well
  to　speak　of　it　seriously。　　Besides；〃　added　he；　with　a　grave　air；　〃dreams
  will　sometimes　come　true。　　In　Spain；　two　of　the　Empress's　dragoons；
  comrades　of　mine；　dreamt；　the　night　before　their　death；　that　they　would
  be　poisoned　by　the　monksand　so　it　happened。　　If　you　continue　to　dream
  of　this　fair　angel　Gabriel；　it　isit　iswhy；　it　is；　because　you　are
  amused　by　it；　and；　as　you　have　none　too　many　pleasures　in　the　daytime；
  you　may　as　well　get　an　agreeable　sleep　at　night。　　But；　now；　my　children；
  I　have　also　much　to　tell　you；　it　will　concern　your　mother；　promise　me　not
  to　be　sad。〃
  〃Be　satisfied！　when　we　think　of　her　we　are　not　sad；　though　serious。〃
  〃That　is　well。　　For　fear　of　grieving　you；　I　have　always　delayed　the
  moment　of　telling　what　your　poor　mother　would　have　confided　to　you　as
  soon　as　you　were　no　longer　children。　　But　she　died　before　she　had　time　to
  do　so；　and　that　which　I　have　to　tell　broke　her　heartas　it　nearly　did
  mine。　　I　put　off　this　communication　as　long　as　I　could；　taking　for
  pretext　that　I　would　say　nothing　till　we　came　to　the　field　of　battle
  where　your　father　was　made　prisoner。　　That　gave　me　time；　but　the　moment
  is　now　come；　I　can　shuffle　it　off　no　longer。〃
  〃We　listen；　Dagobert；〃　responded　the　two　maidens；　with　an　attentive　and
  melancholy　air。
  After　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　he　appeared　to　reflect；　the
  veteran　thus　addressed　the　young　girls：
  〃Your　father；　General　Simon；　was　the　son　of　a　workman；　who　remained　a
  workman；　for；　notwithstanding　all　that　the　general　could　say　or　do；　the
  old　man　was　obstinate　in　not　quitting　his　trade。　　He　had　a　heart　of　gold
  and　a　head　of　iron；　just　like　his　son。　　You　may　suppose；　my　children；
  that　when　your　father；　who　had　enlisted　as　a　private　soldier；　became　a
  general　and　a　count　of　the　empire；　it　was　not　without　toil　or　without
  glory。〃
  〃A　count　of　the　Empire！　what　is　that；　Dagobert？〃
  〃Flummerya　title；　which　the　Emperor　gave　over　and　above　the　promotion；
  just　for　the　sake　of　saying　to　the　people；　whom　he　loved　because　he　was
  one　of　them：　Here；　children！　　You　wish　to　play　at　nobility！　　You　shall　be
  nobles。　　You　wish　to　play　at　royalty！　　You　shall　be　kings。　　Take　what　you
  likenothing　is　too　good　for　youenjoy　yourselves！〃
  〃Kings！〃　said　the　two　girls；　joining　their　hands　in　admiration。
  〃Kings　of　the　first　water。　　Oh；　he　was　no　niggard　of　his　crowns；　our
  Emperor！　　I　had　a　bed…fellow　of　mine；　a　brave　soldier；　who　was　afterwards
  promoted　to　be　king。　　This　flattered　us；　for；　if　it　was　not　one；　it　was
  the　other。　　And　so；　at　this　game；　your　father　became　count；　but；　count　or
  not；　he　was　one　of　the　best　and　bravest　generals　of　the　army。〃
  〃He　was　handsome；　was　he　not；　Dagobert？mother　always　said　so。〃
  〃Oh；　yes！　indeed　he　wasbut　quite　another　thing　from　your　fair　guardian
  angel。　　Picture　to　yourself　a　fine；　dark　man；　who　looked　splendid　in　his
  full　uniform；　and　could　put　fire　into　the　soldiers'　hearts。　　With　him　to
  lead；　we　would　have　charged　up　into　Heaven　itselfthat　is；　if　Heaven
  had；　permitted　it；〃　added　Dagobert；　not　wishing　to　wound　in　any　way　the
  religious　beliefs　of　the　orphans。
  〃And　father　was　as　good　as　he　was　brave；　Dagobert。〃
  〃Good；　my　children？　　Yes；　I　should　say　so！He　could　bend　a　horse…shoe　in
  his　hand　as　you　would　bend　a　card；　and　the　day　he　was　taken　prisoner　he
  had　cut　down　the　Prussian　artillerymen　on　their　very　cannon。　　With
  strength　and　courage　like　that；　how　could　he　be　otherwise　than　good？
  It　is　then　about　nineteen　years　ago；　not　far　from　this　placeon　the　spot
  I　showed　you　before　we　arrived　at　the　villagethat　the　general；
  dangerously　wounded；　fell　from　his　horse。　　I　was　following　him　at　the
  time；　and　ran　to　his　assistance。　　Five　minutes　after　we　were　made
  prisonersand　by　whom　think　you？by　a　Frenchman。〃
  〃A　Frenchman？〃
  〃Yes；　an　emigrant　marquis；　a　colonel　in　the　service　of　Russia；〃　answered
  Dagobert；　with　bitterness。　　〃And　so；　when　this　marquis　advanced　towards
  us；　and　said　to　the　general：　'Surrender；　sir；　to　a　countryman！''A
  Frenchman；　who　fights　against　France；'　replied　the　general；　'is　no　longer
  my　countryman；　he　is　a　traitor；　and　I'd　never　surrender　to　a　traitor！'
  And；　wounded　though　he　was；　he　dragged　himself　up　to　a　Russian　grenadier；
  and　delivered　him　his　sabre；　saying：　'I　surrender　to　you　my　brave
  fellow！'　　The　marquis　became　pale　with　rage　at　it。〃
  The　orphans　looked　at　each　other　with　pride；　and　a　rich　crimson　mantled
  their　cheeks；　as　they　exclaimed：　〃Oh；　our　brave　father！〃
  〃Ah；　those　children；〃　said　Dagobert；　as　he　proudly　twirled　his　moustache。
  〃One　sees　they　have　soldier's　blood　in　their　veins！　　Well；〃　he　continued；
  〃we　were　now　prisoners。　　The　general's　last　horse　had　been　killed　under
  him；　and；　to　perform　the　journey；　he　mounted　Jovial；　who　had　not　been
  wounded　that　day。　　We　arrived　at　Warsaw；　and　there　it　was　that　the
  general　first　saw　your　mother。　　She　was　called　the　Pearl　of　Warsaw；　that
  is　saying　everything。　　Now　he；　who　admired　all　that　is　good　and
  beautiful；　fell　in　love　with　her　almost　immediately；　and　she　loved　him　in
  return；　but　her　parents　had　promised　her　to　anotherand　that　other　was
  the　same〃
  Dagobert　was　unable　to　proceed。　　Rose　uttered　a　piercing　cry；　and　pointed
  in　terror　to　the　window。
  CHAPTER　VII。
  THE　TRAVELER。
  Upon　the　cry　of　the　young　girl；　Dagobert　rose　abruptly。
  〃What　is　the　matter；　Rose？〃
  〃Therethere！〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　window。　　〃I　thought　I　saw　a
  hand　move　the　pelisse。〃
  She　had　not　concluded　these　words　before　Dagobert　rushed　to　the　window
  and　opened　it；　tearing　down　the　mantle；　which　had　been　suspended　from　the
  fastening。
  It　was　still　dark　night；　and　the　wind　was　blowing　hard。　　The　soldier
  listened；　but　could　hear　nothing。
  Returning　to　fetch　the　lamp　from　the　table；　he　shaded　the　flame　with　his
  hand；　and　strove　to　throw　the　light　outside。　　Still　he　saw　nothing。
  Persuaded　that　a　gust　of　wind　had　disturbed　and　shaken　the　pelisse：　and
  that　Rose　had　been　deceived　by　her　own　fears　he　again　shut　the　window。
  〃Be　satisfied；　children！　　The　wind　is　very　high；　it　is　that　which　lifted
  the　corner　of　the　pelisse。〃
  〃Yet　methought　I　saw　plainly　the　fingers　which　had　hold　of　it；〃　said
  Rose；　still　trembling。
  〃I　was　looking　at　Dagobert；〃　said　Blanche；　〃and　I　saw　nothing。〃
  〃There　was　nothing　to　see；　my　children；　the　thing　is　clear　enough。　　The
  window　is　at　least　eight　feet　above　the　ground；　none　but　a　giant　could
  reach　it　without　a　ladder。　　Now；　had　any　one　used　a　ladder；　there　would
  not　have　been　time　to　remove　it；　for；　as　soon　as　Rose　cried　out；　I　ran　to
  the　window；　and；　when　I　held　out　the　light；　I　could　see　nothing。〃
  〃I　must　have　been　deceived；〃　said　Rose。
  〃You　may　be　sure；　sister；　it　was　only　the　wind；〃　added　Blanche。
  〃Then　I　beg　pardon　for　having　disturbed　you；　my　good　Dagobert。〃
  〃Never　mind！；〃　replied　the　soldier　musingly；　〃I　am　only　sorry　that　Spoil…
  sport　is　not　come　back。　　He　would　have　watched　the　window；　and　that　would
  have　quite　tranquillized　you。　But　he　no　doubt　scented　the　stable　of　his
  comrade；　Jovial；　and　will　have　called　in　to　bid　him　good…night　on　the
  road。　　I　have　half　a　mind　to　go　and　fetch　him。〃
  〃Oh；　no；　Dagobert！　do　not　leave　us　alone；〃　cried　the　maidens；　〃we　are　too
  much　afraid。〃
  〃Well；　the　dog　is　not　likely　to　remain　away　much　longer；　and　I　am　sure　we
  shall　soon　hear　him　scratching　at　the　door；　so　we　will　continue　our
  story；〃　said　Dagobert；　as　he　again　seated　himself　near　the　head　of　the
  bed；　but　this　time　with　his　face　towards　the　window。
  〃Now　the　general　was　prisoner　at　Warsaw；〃　continued　he；　〃and　in　love　with
  your　mother；　whom　they　wished　to　marry　to　another。　　In　1814；　we　learned
  the　finish　of　the　war；　the　banishment　of　the　Emperor　to　the　Isle　of　Elba；
  and　the　return　of　the　Bourbons。　　In　concert　with　the　Prussians　and
  Russians；　who　had　brought　them　back；　they　had　exiled　the　Emperor。
  Learning　all　this；　your　mother　said　to　the　general：　'The　war　is　finished；
  you　are　free；　but　your　Emperor　is　in　trouble。　　You　owe　everything　to　him；
  go　and　join　him　in　his　misfortunes。　　I　know　not　when　we　shall　meet　again；
  but　I　shall　never　marry　any　one　but　you；　I　am　yours　till　death！'Before
  he　set　out　the　general　called　me　to　him；　and　said：　'Dagobert；　remain
  here；　Mademoiselle　Eva　may　have　need　of　you　to　fly　from　her　family；　if
  they　should　press　too　hard　upon　her；　our　correspondence　will　have　to　pass
  through　your　hands；　at　Paris；　I　shall　see　your　wife　and　son；　I　will
  comfort　them；　and　tell　them　you　are　my　friend。'〃
  〃Always　the　same；〃　said　Rose；　with　emotion；　as　she　looked　affectionately
  a