ng；　to　go　through　all　the　usual　performance；　and　set　her　name　to　their　pack　of　papers；　then；　when　her　child　had　a　name　and　a　father；　she　went　back　to　her　bed　again；　I　kissed　her　hands　and　her　forehead；　and　she　died。
  〃That　was　my　wedding。　Two　days　later；　when　I　had　bought　the　few　feet　of　earth　in　which　the　poor　girl　is　laid；　I　found　myself　the　father　of　an　orphan　child。　I　put　him　out　to　nurse　during　the　campaign　of　1815。　Ever　since　that　time；　without　letting　any　one　know　my　story；　which　did　not　sound　very　well；　I　have　looked　after　the　little　rogue　as　if　he　were　my　own　child。　I　don't　know　what　became　of　his　grandfather；　he　is　wandering　about；　a　ruined　man；　somewhere　or　other　between　Russia　and　Persia。　The　chances　are　that　he　may　make　a　fortune　some　day；　for　he　seemed　to　understand　the　trade　in　precious　stones。
  〃I　sent　the　child　to　school。　I　wanted　him　to　take　a　good　place　at　the　Ecole　Polytechnique　and　to　see　him　graduate　there　with　credit；　so　of　late　I　have　had　him　drilled　in　mathematics　to　such　good　purpose　that　the　poor　little　soul　has　been　knocked　up　by　it。　He　has　a　delicate　chest。　By　all　I　can　make　out　from　the　doctors　in　Paris；　there　would　be　some　hope　for　him　still　if　he　were　allowed　to　run　wild　among　the　hills；　if　he　was　properly　cared　for；　and　constantly　looked　after　by　somebody　who　was　willing　to　undertake　the　task。　So　I　thought　of　you；　and　I　came　here　to　take　stock　of　your　ideas　and　your　ways　of　life。　After　what　you　have　told　me；　I　could　not　possibly　cause　you　pain　in　this　way；　for　we　are　good　friends　already。〃
  〃Commandant；〃　said　Benassis　after　a　moment's　pause；　〃bring　Judith's　child　here　to　me。　It　is　doubtless　God's　will　to　submit　me　to　this　final　trial；　and　I　will　endure　it。　I　will　offer　up　these　sufferings　to　God；　whose　Son　died　upon　the　cross。　Besides；　your　story　has　awakened　tender　feelings；　does　not　that　auger　well　for　me？〃
  Genestas　took　both　of　Benassis'　hands　and　pressed　them　warmly；　unable　to　check　the　tears　that　filled　his　eyes　and　coursed　down　his　sunburned　face。
  〃Let　us　keep　silence　with　regard　to　all　this；〃　he　said。
  〃Yes；　commandant。　You　are　not　drinking？〃
  〃I　am　not　thirsty；〃　Genestas　answered。　〃I　am　a　perfect　fool！〃
  〃Well；　when　will　you　bring　him　to　me？〃
  〃Why；　to…morrow；　if　you　will　let　me。　He　has　been　at　Grenoble　these　two　days。〃
  〃Good！　Set　out　to…morrow　morning　and　come　back　again。　I　shall　wait　for　you　in　La　Fosseuse's　cottage；　and　we　will　all　four　of　us　breakfast　there　together。〃
  〃Agreed；〃　said　Genestas；　and　the　two　friends　as　they　went　upstairs　bade　each　other　good…night。　When　they　reached　the　landing　that　lay　between　their　rooms；　Genestas　set　down　his　candle　on　the　window　ledge　and　turned　towards　Benassis。
  〃Tonnerre　de　Dieu！〃　he　said；　with　outspoken　enthusiasm；　〃I　cannot　let　you　go　without　telling　you　that　you　are　the　third　among　christened　men　to　make　me　understand　that　there　is　Something　up　there；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　sky。
  The　doctor's　answer　was　a　smile　full　of　sadness　and　a　cordial　grasp　of　the　hand　that　Genestas　held　out　to　him。
  Before　daybreak　next　morning　Commandant　Genestas　was　on　his　way。　On　his　return；　it　was　noon　before　he　reached　the　spot　on　the　highroad　between　Grenoble　and　the　little　town；　where　the　pathway　turned　that　led　to　La　Fosseuse's　cottage。　He　was　seated　in　one　of　the　light　open　cars　with　four　wheels；　drawn　by　one　horse；　that　are　in　use　everywhere　on　the　roads　in　these　hilly　districts。　Genestas'　companion　was　a　thin；　delicate…looking　lad；　apparently　about　twelve　years　of　age；　though　in　reality　he　was　in　his　sixteenth　year。　Before　alighting；　the　officer　looked　round　about　him　in　several　directions　in　search　of　a　peasant　who　would　take　the　carriage　back　to　Benassis'　house。　It　was　impossible　to　drive　to　La　Fosseuse's　cottage；　the　pathway　was　too　narrow。　The　park…keeper　happened　to　appear　upon　the　scene；　and　helped　Genestas　out　of　his　difficulty；　so　that　the　officer　and　his　adopted　son　were　at　liberty　to　follow　the　mountain　footpath　that　led　to　the　trysting…　place。
  〃Would　you　not　enjoy　spending　a　year　in　running　about　in　this　lovely　country；　Adrien？　Learning　to　hunt　and　to　ride　a　horse；　instead　of　growing　pale　over　your　books？　Stay！　look　there！〃
  Adrien　obediently　glanced　over　the　valley　with　languid　indifference；　like　all　lads　of　his　age；　he　cared　nothing　for　the　beauty　of　natural　scenery；　so　he　only　said；　〃You　are　very　kind；　father；〃　without　checking　his　walk。
  The　invalid　listlessness　of　this　answer　went　to　Genestas'　heart；　he　said　no　more　to　his　son；　and　they　reached　La　Fosseuse's　house　in　silence。
  〃You　are　punctual；　commandant！〃　cried　Benassis；　rising　from　the　wooden　bench　where　he　was　sitting。
  But　at　the　sight　of　Adrien　he　sat　down　again；　and　seemed　for　a　while　to　be　lost　in　thought。　In　a　leisurely　fashion　he　scanned　the　lad's　sallow；　weary　face；　not　without　admiring　its　delicate　oval　outlines；　one　of　the　most　noticeable　characteristics　of　a　noble　head。　The　lad　was　the　living　image　of　his　mother。　He　had　her　olive　complexion；　beautiful　black　eyes　with　a　sad　and　thoughtful　expression　in　them；　long　hair；　a　head　too　energetic　for　the　fragile　body；　all　the　peculiar　beauty　of　the　Polish　Jewess　had　been　transmitted　to　her　son。
  〃Do　you　sleep　soundly；　my　little　man？〃　Benassis　asked　him。
  〃Yes；　sir。〃
  〃Let　me　see　your　knees；　turn　back　your　trousers。〃
  Adrien　reddened；　unfastened　his　garters；　and　showed　his　knee　to　the　doctor；　who　felt　it　carefully　over。
  〃Good。　Now　speak；　shout；　shout　as　loud　as　you　can。〃　Adrien　obeyed。
  〃That　will　do。　Now　give　me　your　hands。〃
  The　lad　held　them　out；　white；　soft；　and　blue…veined　hands；　like　those　of　a　woman。
  〃Where　were　you　at　school　in　Paris？〃
  〃At　Saint　Louis。〃
  〃Did　your　master　read　his　breviary　during　the　night？〃
  〃Yes；　sir。〃
  〃So　you　did　not　go　straight　off　to　sleep？〃
  As　Adrien　made　no　answer　to　this；　Genestas　spoke。　〃The　master　is　a　worthy　priest；　he　advised　me　to　take　my　little　rascal　away　on　the　score　of　his　health；〃　he　told　the　doctor。
  〃Well；〃　answered　Benassis；　with　a　clear；　penetrating　gaze　into　Adrien's　frightened　eyes；　〃there　is　a　good　chance。　Oh；　we　shall　make　a　man　of　him　yet。　We　will　live　together　like　a　pair　of　comrades；　my　boy！　We　will　keep　early　hours。　I　mean　to　show　this　boy　of　yours　how　to　ride　a　horse；　commandant。　He　shall　be　put　on　a　milk　diet　for　a　month　or　two；　so　as　to　get　his　digestion　into　order　again；　and　then　I　will　take　out　a　shooting　license　for　him；　and　put　him　in　Butifer's　hands；　and　the　two　of　them　shall　have　some　chamois…hunting。　Give　your　son　four　or　five　months　of　out…door　life；　and　you　will　not　know　him　again；　commandant！　How　delighted　Butifer　will　be！　I　know　the　fellow；　he　will　take　you　over　into　Switzerland；　my　young　friend；　haul　you　over　the　Alpine　passes　and　up　the　mountain　peaks；　and　add　six　inches　to　your　height　in　six　months；　he　will　put　some　color　into　your　cheeks　and　brace　your　nerves；　and　make　you　forget　all　these　bad　ways　that　you　have　fallen　into　at　school。　And　after　that　you　can　go　back　to　your　work；　and　you　will　be　a　man　some　of　these　days。　Butifer　is　an　honest　young　fellow。　We　can　trust　him　with　the　money　necessary　for　traveling　expenses　and　your　hunting　expeditions。　The　responsibility　will　keep　him　steady　for　six　months；　and　that　will　be　a　very　good　thing　for　him。〃
  Genestas'　face　brightened　more　and　more　at　every　word　the　doctor　spoke。
  〃Now；　let　us　go　in　to　breakfast。　La　Fosseuse　is　very　anxious　to　see　you；〃　said　Benassis；　giving　Adrien　a　gentle　tap　on　the　cheek。
  Genestas　took　the　doctor's　arm　and　drew　him　a　little　aside。　〃Then　he　is　not　consumptive　after　all？〃　he　asked。
  〃No　more　than　you　or　I。〃
  〃Then　what　is　the　matter　with　him？〃
  〃Pshaw！〃　answered　Benassis；　〃he　is　a　little　run　down；　that　is　all。〃
  La　Fosseuse　appeared　on　the　threshold　of　the　door；　and　Genestas　noticed；　not　without　surprise；　her　simple　but　coquettish　costume。　This　was　not　the　peasant　girl　of　yesterday　evening；　but　a　graceful　and　well…dressed　Parisian　woman；　against　whose　glances　he　felt　that　he　was　not　proof。　The　soldier　turned　his　eyes　on　the　table；　which　was　made　of　walnut　wood。　There　was　no　tablecloth；　but　the　surface　might　have　been　varnished；　it　was　so　well　rubbed　and　polished。　Eggs；　butter；　a　rice　pudding；　and　fragrant　wild　strawberries　had　been　set　out；　and　the　poor　child　had　put　flowers　everywhere　about　the　room；　evidently　it　was　a　great　day　for　her。　At　the　sight　of　all　this；　the　commandant　could　not　help　looking　enviously　at　the　little　house　and　the　green　sward　about　it；　and　watched　the　peasant　girl　with　an　air　that　expressed　both　his　doubts　and　his　hopes。　Then　his　eyes　fell　on　Adrien；　with　whom　La　Fosseuse　was　deliberately　busying　herself；　and　handing　him　the　eggs。
  〃Now；　commandant；〃　said　Benassis；　〃you　know　the　terms　on　which　you　are　receiving　hospitality。　You　must　tell　La　Fosseuse　'something　about　the　army。'　〃
  〃But　let　the　gentleman　first　have　his　breakfast　in　peace；　and　then；　after　he　has　taken　a　cup　of　coffee〃
  〃By　all　means；　I　shall　be　very　glad；〃　answered　the　commandant；　〃but　it　must　be　upon　one　condition：　you　will　tell　us　the　story　of　some　adventure　in　your　past　life；　will　you　not；　mademoiselle？〃
  〃Why；　nothing　worth　telling　has　ever　happened　to　me；　sir；〃　she　answered；　as　her　color　rose。　〃Will　you　take　a　l