The dinner-table, which was not usually laid in the _salle_ till six o’clock, was ready that day by five. A snow-white cloth adorned the board, whilst at the four corners were placed, alternately, bowls of whipped cream and custard, and dishes of ripe fruit and _gaufres_, made by Tessie’s own hands. In the centre of the table bloomed the Baron’s beautiful roses; any one could see it was a _fête_-day, by the unusual grandeur of the preparations. The girls had not changed their black serge dresses—indeed, I knew by that time that they had no others to change; and I often wondered on what they spent the allowance which their father had told me he paid them quarterly—but they wore white muslin aprons and kerchiefs; and Ange had a bunch of damask roses glowing in her bosom. I remember thinking, as I saw her slender figure darting from room to room that day, that I had never seen her look so charmingly youthful and pretty before. At last the discordant voice of the cow-horn, by which the diligence usually heralded its approach from Artois, was heard winding along the valley. ‘Papa, papa!’ exclaimed Ange, all excitement, as she rushed about to get his hat and stick, ‘do you not hear old François’s horn? Run along quick, or you will be a great deal too late! You know how he always whips up his poor little mules, as soon as he has turned the corner of the road, to pretend they have been racing all the way from Artois! And Madame has everything ready in the kitchen—only waiting to be dished up on your return. Such dear little ortolans, papa! Monsieur de Nesselrode sent them down this afternoon for you, with his compliments; and Madame has the most delicious secret way of dressing them you ever knew! But if you don’t make haste——’ ‘And how am I to make haste, you little puss, if you cling to me after this fashion? Give me my stick and let me go! I shall be back again within the next ten minutes.’ ‘And _now_ for the secret!’ cried Ange, as she jumped upon my lap, and clasped her arms round my neck. ‘_Now_, Hilda, you must be told! It is coming very, very close, and in a few minutes you will know all.’ ‘What a portentous expression!’ I said, laughing. ‘It is like the _dénouement_ of one of Mrs. Radcliffe’s novels. I suppose I may conclude one thing, however, Ange, and that is, that the secret is coming in the diligence from Artois.’ ‘Yes, yes! it is!’ ‘And that it wears trousers!’ ‘Yes, yes! Hilda, you are very clever. You always guess right.’ ‘But _who_ is this mysterious stranger, then? and why have you kept me in the dark about him so long?’ ‘Because we were not quite sure if it would come to pass,’ said Tessie, in her soft voice; ‘you see, Hilda, when papa went to Rille last week, he met a gentleman whom we——’ ‘Oh, Tessie! do let me tell her!’ pleaded Ange, after which they continued to interrupt each other, much in this fashion: ‘Yes, he met a gentleman who wanted to come here for a few months——’ ‘To shoot in the forest, you know——’