；　and　stood　facing　the　south。　All　the　windows　were　in　the　front　of　the　house；　for　its　small　size　and　lack　of　depth　from　back　to　front　made　other　openings　unnecessary。　The　doors　and　shutters　were　painted　green；　and　the　underside　of　the　penthouses　had　been　lined　with　deal　boards　in　the　German　fashion；　and　painted　white。　The　rustic　charm　of　the　whole　little　dwelling　lay　in　its　spotless　cleanliness。
  Climbing　plants　and　briar　roses　grew　about　the　house；　a　great　walnut　tree　had　been　allowed　to　remain　among　the　flowering　acacias　and　trees　that　bore　sweet…scented　blossoms；　and　a　few　weeping　willows　had　been　set　by　the　little　streams　in　the　garden　space。　A　thick　belt　of　pines　and　beeches　grew　behind　the　house；　so　that　the　picturesque　little　dwelling　was　brought　out　into　strong　relief　by　the　sombre　width　of　background。　At　that　hour　of　the　day；　the　air　was　fragrant　with　the　scents　from　the　hillsides　and　the　perfume　from　La　Fosseuse's　garden。　The　sky　overhead　was　clear　and　serene；　but　low　clouds　hung　on　the　horizon；　and　the　far…off　peaks　had　begun　to　take　the　deep　rose　hues　that　the　sunset　often　brings。　At　the　height　which　they　had　reached　the　whole　valley　lay　before　their　eyes；　from　distant　Grenoble　to　the　little　lake　at　the　foot　of　the　circle　of　crags　by　which　Genestas　had　passed　on　the　previous　day。　Some　little　distance　above　the　house　a　line　of　poplars　on　the　hill　indicated　the　highway　that　led　to　Grenoble。　Rays　of　sunlight　fell　slantwise　across　the　little　town　which　glittered　like　a　diamond；　for　the　soft　red　light　which　poured　over　it　like　a　flood　was　reflected　by　all　its　window…panes。　Genestas　reined　in　his　horse　at　the　sight；　and　pointed　to　the　dwellings　in　the　valley；　to　the　new　town；　and　to　La　Fosseuse's　house。
  〃Since　the　victory　of　Wagram；　and　Napoleon's　return　to　the　Tuileries　in　1815；〃　he　said；　with　a　sigh；　〃nothing　has　so　stirred　me　as　the　sight　of　all　this。　I　owe　this　pleasure　to　you；　sir；　for　you　have　taught　me　to　see　beauty　in　a　landscape。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　the　doctor；　smiling　as　he　spoke；　〃It　is　better　to　build　towns　than　to　storm　them。〃
  〃Oh！　sir；　how　about　the　taking　of　Moscow　and　the　surrender　of　Mantua！　Why；　you　do　not　really　know　what　that　means！　Is　it　not　a　glory　for　all　of　us？　You　are　a　good　man；　but　Napoleon　also　was　a　good　man。　If　it　had　not　been　for　England；　you　both　would　have　understood　each　other；　and　our　Emperor　would　never　have　fallen。　There　are　no　spies　here；〃　said　the　officer；　looking　around　him；　〃and　I　can　say　openly　that　I　love　him；　now　that　he　is　dead！　What　a　ruler！　He　knew　every　man　when　he　saw　him！　He　would　have　made　you　a　Councillor　of　State；　for　he　was　a　great　administrator　himself；　even　to　the　point　of　knowing　how　many　cartridges　were　left　in　the　men's　boxes　after　an　action。　Poor　man！　While　you　were　talking　about　La　Fosseuse；　I　thought　of　him；　and　how　he　was　lying　dead　in　St。　Helena！　Was　that　the　kind　of　climate　and　country　to　suit　HIM；　whose　seat　had　been　a　throne；　and　who　had　lived　with　his　feet　in　the　stirrups；　hein？　They　say　that　he　used　to　work　in　the　garden。　The　deuce！　He　was　not　made　to　plant　cabbages。　。　。　。　And　now　we　must　serve　the　Bourbons；　and　loyally；　sir；　for；　after　all；　France　is　France；　as　you　were　saying　yesterday。〃
  Genestas　dismounted　as　he　uttered　these　last　words；　and　mechanically　followed　the　example　set　by　Benassis；　who　fastened　his　horse's　bridle　to　a　tree。
  〃Can　she　be　away？〃　said　the　doctor；　when　he　did　not　see　La　Fosseuse　on　the　threshold。　They　went　into　the　house；　but　there　was　no　one　in　the　sitting　room　on　the　ground　floor。
  〃She　must　have　heard　the　sound　of　a　second　horse；〃　said　Benassis；　with　a　smile；　〃and　has　gone　upstairs　to　put　on　her　cap；　or　her　sash；　or　some　piece　of　finery。〃
  He　left　Genestas　alone；　and　went　upstairs　in　search　of　La　Fosseuse。　The　commandant　made　a　survey　of　the　room。　He　noticed　the　pattern　of　the　paper　that　covered　the　wallsroses　scattered　over　a　gray　background；　and　the　straw　matting　that　did　duty　for　a　carpet　on　the　floor。　The　armchair；　the　table；　and　the　smaller　chairs　were　made　of　wood　from　which　the　bark　had　not　been　removed。　The　room　was　not　without　ornament；　some　flower…stands；　as　they　might　be　called；　made　of　osiers　and　wooden　hoops；　had　been　filled　with　moss　and　flowers；　and　the　windows　were　draped　by　white　dimity　curtains　bordered　with　a　scarlet　fringe。　There　was　a　mirror　above　the　chimney…piece；　where　a　plain　china　jar　stood　between　two　candlesticks。　Some　calico　lay　on　the　table；　shirts；　apparently；　had　been　cut　out　and　begun；　several　pairs　of　gussets　were　finished；　and　a　work…basket；　scissors；　needles　and　thread；　and　all　a　needle…woman's　requirements　lay　beside　them。　Everything　was　as　fresh　and　clean　as　a　shell　that　the　sea　had　tossed　up　on　the　beach。　Genestas　saw　that　a　kitchen　lay　on　the　other　side　of　the　passage；　and　that　the　staircase　was　at　the　further　end　of　it。　The　upper　story；　like　the　ground　floor；　evidently　consisted　of　two　rooms　only。　〃Come；　do　not　be　frightened；〃　Benassis　was　saying　to　La　Fosseuse；　〃come　down…stairs！〃
  Genestas　promptly　retreated　into　the　sitting…room　when　he　heard　these　words；　and　in　another　moment　a　slender　girl；　well　and　gracefully　made；　appeared　in　the　doorway。　She　wore　a　gown　of　cambric；　covered　with　narrow　pink　stripes；　and　cut　low　at　the　throat；　so　as　to　display　a　muslin　chemisette。　Shyness　and　timidity　had　brought　the　color　to　a　face　which　had　nothing　very　remarkable　about　it　save　a　certain　flatness　of　feature　which　called　to　mind　the　Cossack　and　Russian　countenances　that　since　the　disasters　of　1814　have　unfortunately　come　to　be　so　widely　known　in　France。　La　Fosseuse　was；　in　fact；　very　like　these　men　of　the　North。　Her　nose　turned　up　at　the　end；　and　was　sunk　in　her　face；　her　mouth　was　wide　and　her　chin　small；　her　hands　and　arms　were　red　and；　like　her　feet；　were　of　the　peasant　type；　large　and　strong。　Although　she　had　been　used　to　an　outdoor　life；　to　exposure　to　the　sun　and　the　scorching　summer　winds；　her　complexion　had　the　bleached　look　of　withered　grass；　but　after　the　first　glance　this　made　her　face　more　interesting；　and　there　was　such　a　sweet　expression　in　her　blue　eyes；　so　much　grace　about　her　movements；　and　such　music　in　her　voice；　that　little　as　her　features　seemed　to　harmonize　with　the　disposition　which　Benassis　had　praised　to　the　commandant；　the　officer　recognized　in　her　the　capricious　and　ailing　creature；　condemned　to　suffering　by　a　nature　that　had　been　thwarted　in　its　growth。
  La　Fosseuse　deftly　stirred　the　fire　of　dry　branches　and　turfs　of　peat；　then　sat　down　in　an　armchair　and　took　up　one　of　the　shirts　that　she　had　begun。　She　sat　there　under　the　officer's　eyes；　half　bashful；　afraid　to　look　up；　and　calm　to　all　appearance；　but　her　bodice　rose　and　fell　with　the　rapid　breathing　that　betrayed　her　nervousness；　and　it　struck　Genestas　that　her　figure　was　very　graceful。
  〃Well；　my　poor　child；　is　your　work　going　on　nicely？〃　said　Benassis；　taking　up　the　material　intended　for　the　shirts；　and　passing　it　through　his　fingers。
  La　Fosseuse　gave　the　doctor　a　timid　and　beseeching　glance。
  〃Do　not　scold　me；　sir；〃　she　entreated；　〃I　have　not　touched　them　to…　day；　although　they　were　ordered　by　you；　and　for　people　who　need　them　very　badly。　But　the　weather　has　been　so　fine！　I　wandered　out　and　picked　a　quantity　of　mushrooms　and　white　truffles；　and　took　them　over　to　Jacquotte；　she　was　very　pleased；　for　some　people　are　coming　to　dinner。　I　was　so　glad　that　I　thought　of　it；　something　seemed　to　tell　me　to　go　to　look　for　them。〃
  She　began　to　ply　her　needle　again。
  〃You　have　a　very　pretty　house　here；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Genestas；　addressing　her。
  〃It　is　not　mine　at　all；　sir；〃　she　said；　looking　at　the　stranger；　and　her　eyes　seemed　to　grow　red　and　tearful；　〃it　belongs　to　M。　Benassis；〃　and　she　turned　towards　the　doctor　with　a　gentle　expression　on　her　face。
  〃You　know　quite　well；　my　child；　that　you　will　never　have　to　leave　it；〃　he　said；　as　he　took　her　hand　in　his。
  La　Fosseuse　suddenly　rose　and　left　the　room。
  〃Well；〃　said　the　doctor；　addressing　the　officer；〃what　do　you　think　of　her？〃
  〃There　is　something　strangely　touching　about　her；〃　Genestas　answered。　〃How　very　nicely　you　have　fitted　up　this　little　nest　of　hers！〃
  〃Bah！　a　wall…paper　at　fifteen　or　twenty　sous；　it　was　carefully　chosen；　but　that　was　all。　The　furniture　is　nothing　very　much　either；　my　basket…maker　made　it　for　me；　he　wanted　to　show　his　gratitude；　and　La　Fosseuse　made　the　curtains　herself　out　of　a　few　yards　of　calico。　This　little　house　of　hers；　and　her　simple　furniture；　seem　pretty　to　you；　because　you　come　upon　them　up　here　on　a　hillside　in　a　forlorn　part　of　the　world　where　you　did　not　expect　to　find　things　clean　and　tidy。　The　reason　of　the　prettiness　is　a　kind　of　harmony　between　the　little　house　and　its　surroundings。　Nature　has　set　picturesque　groups　of　trees　and　running　streams　about　it；　and　has　scattered　her　fairest　flowers　among　the　grass；　her　sweet…scented　wild　strawberry　blossoms；　and　her　lovely　violets。　。　。　。　Well；　what　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Benassis；　as　La　Fosseuse　came　back　to　them。
  〃Oh！　nothing；　nothing；〃　she　answered。　〃I　fancied　that　one　of　my　chickens　was　missing；　and　had　not　been　shut　up。〃
  Her　remark　was　disingenuous；　but　this　was　only　noticed　by　the　doctor；　who　said　in　her　ear；　〃You　have　been　crying！〃
  〃Why　do　y