oking　my　pipe；　absorbed　in　watching　the　Jewess　until　she　blew　out　the　candle　and　went　to　bed。　I　could　not　close　my　eyes。　The　whole　night　long　I　walked　up　and　down　the　street　smoking　my　pipe　and　refilling　it　from　time　to　time。　I　had　never　felt　like　that　before；　and　for　the　first　and　last　time　in　my　life　I　thought　of　marrying。
  〃At　daybreak　I　saddled　my　horse　and　rode　out　into　the　country；　to　clear　my　head。　I　kept　him　at　a　trot　for　two　mortal　hours；　and　all　but　foundered　the　animal　before　I　noticed　it〃
  Genestas　stopped　short；　looked　at　his　new　friend　uneasily；　and　said；　〃You　must　excuse　me；　Benassis；　I　am　no　orator；　things　come　out　just　as　they　turn　up　in　my　mind。　In　a　room　full　of　fine　folk　I　should　feel　awkward；　but　here　in　the　country　with　you〃
  〃Go　on；〃　said　the　doctor。
  〃When　I　came　back　to　my　room　I　found　Renard　finely　flustered。　He　thought　I　had　fallen　in　a　duel。　He　was　cleaning　his　pistols；　his　head　full　of　schemes　for　fastening　a　quarrel　on　any　one　who　should　have　turned　me　off　into　the　dark。　。　。　。　Oh！　that　was　just　the　fellow's　way！　I　confided　my　story　to　Renard；　showed　him　the　kennel　where　the　children　were；　and；　as　my　comrade　understood　the　jargon　that　those　heathens　talked；　I　begged　him　to　help　me　to　lay　my　proposals　before　her　father　and　mother；　and　to　try　to　arrange　some　kind　of　communication　between　me　and　Judith。　Judith　they　called　her。　In　short；　sir；　for　a　fortnight　the　Jew　and　his　wife　so　arranged　matters　that　we　supped　every　night　with　Judith；　and　for　a　fortnight　I　was　the　happiest　of　men。　You　understand　and　you　know　how　it　was；　so　I　shall　not　wear　out　your　patience；　still；　if　you　do　not　smoke；　you　cannot　imagine　how　pleasant　it　was　to　smoke　a　pipe　at　one's　ease　with　Renard　and　the　girl's　father　and　one's　princess　there　before　one's　eyes。　Oh！　yes；　it　was　very　pleasant！
  〃But　I　ought　to　tell　you　that　Renard　was　a　Parisian；　and　dependent　on　his　father；　a　wholesale　grocer；　who　had　educated　his　son　with　a　view　to　making　a　notary　of　him；　so　Renard　had　come　by　a　certain　amount　of　book　learning　before　he　had　been　drawn　by　the　conscription　and　had　to　bid　his　desk　good…bye。　Add　to　this　that　he　was　the　kind　of　man　who　looks　well　in　a　uniform；　with　a　face　like　a　girl's；　and　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　art　of　wheedling　people。　It　was　HE　whom　Judith　loved；　she　cared　about　as　much　for　me　as　a　horse　cares　for　roast　fowls。　Whilst　I　was　in　the　seventh　heaven；　soaring　above　the　clouds　at　the　bare　sight　of　Judith；　my　friend　Renard　（who；　as　you　see；　fairly　deserved　his　name）　arrived　at　an　understanding　with　the　girl；　and　to　such　good　purpose；　that　they　were　married　forthwith　after　the　custom　of　her　country；　without　waiting　for　permission；　which　would　have　been　too　long　in　coming。　He　promised　her；　however；　that　if　it　should　happen　that　the　validity　of　this　marriage　was　afterwards　called　in　question；　they　were　to　be　married　again　according　to　French　law。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　as　soon　as　she　reached　France；　Mme。　Renard　became　Mlle。　Judith　once　more。
  〃If　I　had　known　all　this；　I　would　have　killed　Renard　then　and　there；　without　giving　him　time　to　draw　another　breath；　but　the　father；　the　mother；　the　girl　herself；　and　the　quartermaster　were　all　in　the　plot　like　thieves　in　a　fair。　While　I　was　smoking　my　pipe；　and　worshiping　Judith　as　if　she　had　been　one　of　the　saints　above；　the　worthy　Renard　was　arranging　to　meet　her；　and　managing　this　piece　of　business　very　cleverly　under　my　very　eyes。
  〃You　are　the　only　person　to　whom　I　have　told　this　story。　A　disgraceful　thing；　I　call　it。　I　have　always　asked　myself　how　it　is　that　a　man　who　would　die　of　shame　if　he　took　a　gold　coin　that　did　not　belong　to　him；　does　not　scruple　to　rob　a　friend　of　happiness　and　life　and　the　woman　he　loves。　My　birds；　in　fact；　were　married　and　happy；　and　there　was　I；　every　evening　at　supper；　moonstruck；　gazing　at　Judith；　responding　like　some　fellow　in　a　farce　to　the　looks　she　threw　to　me　in　order　to　throw　dust　in　my　eyes。　They　have　paid　uncommonly　dear　for　all　this　deceit；　as　you　will　certainly　think。　On　my　conscience；　God　pays　more　attention　to　what　goes　on　in　this　world　than　some　of　us　imagine。
  〃Down　come　the　Russians　upon　us；　the　country　is　overrun；　and　the　campaign　of　1813　begins　in　earnest。　One　fine　morning　comes　an　order；　we　are　to　be　on　the　battlefield　of　Lutzen　by　a　stated　hour。　The　Emperor　knew　quite　well　what　he　was　about　when　he　ordered　us　to　start　at　once。　The　Russians　had　turned　our　flank。　Our　colonel　must　needs　get　himself　into　a　scrape；　by　choosing　that　moment　to　take　leave　of　a　Polish　lady　who　lived　outside　the　town；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away；　the　Cossack　advanced　guard　just　caught　him　nicely；　him　and　his　picket。　There　was　scarcely　time　to　spring　into　our　saddles　and　draw　up　before　the　town　so　as　to　engage　in　a　cavalry　skirmish。　We　must　check　the　Russian　advance　if　we　meant　to　draw　off　during　the　night。　Again　and　again　we　charged；　and　for　three　hours　did　wonders。　Under　cover　of　the　fighting　the　baggage　and　artillery　set　out。　We　had　a　park　of　artillery　and　great　stores　of　powder；　of　which　the　Emperor　stood　in　desperate　need；　they　must　reach　him　at　all　costs。
  〃Our　resistance　deceived　the　Russians；　who　thought　at　first　that　we　were　supported　by　an　army　corps；　but　before　very　long　they　learned　their　error　from　their　scouts；　and　knew　that　they　had　only　a　single　regiment　of　cavalry　to　deal　with　and　the　invalided　foot　soldiers　in　the　depot。　On　finding　it　out；　sir；　they　made　a　murderous　onslaught　on　us　towards　evening；　the　action　was　so　hot　that　a　good　few　of　us　were　left　on　the　field。　We　were　completely　surrounded。　I　was　by　Renard's　side　in　the　front　rank；　and　I　saw　how　my　friend　fought　and　charged　like　a　demon；　he　was　thinking　of　his　wife。　Thanks　to　him；　we　managed　to　regain　the　town；　which　our　invalids　had　put　more　or　less　in　a　state　of　defence；　but　it　was　pitiful　to　see　it。　We　were　the　last　to　return　he　and　I。　A　body　of　Cossacks　appeared　in　our　way；　and　on　this　we　rode　in　hot　haste。　One　of　the　savages　was　about　to　run　me　through　with　a　lance；　when　Renard；　catching　a　sight　of　his　manoeuvre；　thrust　his　horse　between　us　to　turn　aside　the　blow；　his　poor　brutea　fine　animal　it　was；　upon　my　wordreceived　the　lance　thrust　and　fell；　bringing　down　both　Renard　and　the　Cossack　with　him。　I　killed　the　Cossack；　seized　Renard　by　the　arm；　and　laid　him　crosswise　before　me　on　my　horse　like　a　sack　of　wheat。
  〃　'Good…bye；　captain；'　Renard　said；　'it　is　all　over　with　me。'
  〃　'Not　yet；'　I　answered；　'I　must　have　a　look　at　you。'　We　had　reached　the　town　by　that　time；　I　dismounted；　and　propped　him　up　on　a　little　straw　by　the　corner　of　the　house。　A　wound　in　the　head　had　laid　open　the　brain；　and　yet　he　spoke！　。　。　。　Oh！　he　was　a　brave　man。
  〃　'We　are　quits；'　he　said。　'I　have　given　you　my　life；　and　I　had　taken　Judith　from　you。　Take　care　of　her　and　of　her　child；　if　she　has　one。　And　not　only　soyou　must　marry　her。'
  〃I　left　him　then　and　there　sir；　like　a　dog；　when　the　first　fury　of　anger　left　me；　and　I　went　back　againhe　was　dead。　The　Cossacks　had　set　fire　to　the　town；　and　the　thought　of　Judith　then　came　to　my　mind。　I　went　in　search　of　her；　took　her　up　behind　me　in　the　saddle；　and；　thanks　to　my　swift　horse；　caught　up　the　regiment　which　was　effecting　its　retreat。　As　for　the　Jew　and　his　family；　there　was　not　one　of　them　left；　they　had　all　disappeared　like　rats；　there　was　no　one　but　Judith　in　the　house；　waiting　alone　there　for　Renard。　At　first；　as　you　can　understand；　I　told　her　not　a　word　of　all　that　had　happened。
  〃So　it　befell　that　all　through　the　disastrous　campaign　of　1813　I　had　a　woman　to　look　after；　to　find　quarters　for　her；　and　to　see　that　she　was　comfortable。　She　scarcely　knew；　I　think；　the　straits　to　which　we　were　reduced。　I　was　always　careful　to　keep　her　ten　leagues　ahead　of　us　as　we　drew　back　towards　France。　Her　boy　was　born　while　we　were　fighting　at　Hanau。　I　was　wounded　in　the　engagement；　and　only　rejoined　Judith　at　Strasburg；　then　I　returned　to　Paris；　for；　unluckily；　I　was　laid　up　all　through　the　campaign　in　France。　If　it　had　not　been　for　that　wretched　mishap；　I　should　have　entered　the　Grenadier　Guards；　and　then　the　Emperor　would　have　promoted　me。　As　it　was；　sir；　I　had　three　broken　ribs　and　another　man's　wife　and　child　to　support！　My　pay；　as　you　can　imagine；　was　not　exactly　the　wealth　of　the　Indies。　Renard's　father；　the　toothless　old　shark；　would　have　nothing　to　say　to　his　daughter…in…　law；　and　the　old　father　Jew　had　made　off。　Judith　was　fretting　herself　to　death。　She　cried　one　morning　while　she　was　dressing　my　wound。
  〃　'Judith；'　said　I；　'your　child　has　nothing　in　this　world'
  〃　'Neither　have　I！'　she　said。
  〃　'Pshaw！'　I　answered；　'we　will　send　for　all　the　necessary　papers；　I　will　marry　you；　and　as　for　the　child；　I　will　look　on　him　as　mine'　I　could　not　say　any　more。
  〃Ah；　my　dear　sir；　what　would　not　one　do　for　the　look　by　which　Judith　thanked　mea　look　of　thanks　from　dying　eyes；　I　saw　clearly　that　I　had　loved；　and　should　love　her　always；　and　from　that　day　her　child　found　a　place　in　my　heart。　She　died；　poor　woman；　while　the　father　and　mother　Jews　and　the　papers　were　on　the　way。　The　day　before　she　died；　she　found　strength　enough　to　rise　and　dress　herself　for　her　wedding；　to　go　through　all　the　usual　performance；　and　set　her　name　to　their　pack　of　papers；　then；　when　he