living-room of the house, which opened directly upon the garden behind. It was so cheerful and secluded, looking out from the garden over the wide space

oreover, there was something patriarchal in a kitchen as a reception-room; and both he and the chevalier loved to watch Guida busy with her household duties: at one mo

Vier Prison, a gloom would instantly have settled upon them both; though in this little front room there was an ancient a

t of the chimney was the great settle, or veille, covered with baize, "flourished" with satinettes, and spread with ferns and rushes, and above it a little shelf of old china worth the ransom of a prince at least. Opposite the doorway were

ons, the biggest heart and the tiniest brain in the world; Maitre Ranulph Delagarde, and lastly M. Yves Savary dit Detricand, that officer of Rullecour's who, being released from the prison hospital, when the hour came for him to leave the country was too drunk to find the sh

hevalier was in French, but to Guida he said, rather stupidly in the

queer little smile. "You'll have

ed, still embarrassed, "

with the sieur, and seated himself at the

ets the riot, chevalier, and says the

valier. "As a point of honour, I had thought that

elping himself to roasted conger eel and eyeing hungrily the freshly-made black butter Guida was taking from a wooden trencher. "

ey all started to their feet, and Ranulph, running to the front door, threw it open.