At last--it might have been towards noon--I heard a merry voice chanting a song, and a quick step coming up the _allée_ of the wood. Never did my heart beat with such delight! The very mode of progression had something joyous in it; it seemed a hop and a step and a spring, suiting each motion to the tune of the air--when suddenly the singer, with a long bound, stood before me. It would, indeed, have been a puzzling question which of us more surprised the other; however, as I can render no accurate account of _his_ sensations on seeing me, I must content myself with recording mine on beholding him, and the best way to do so is to describe him. He was a man, or a boy--Heaven knows which--of something under the middle size, dressed in rags of every colour and shape; his old white hat was crushed and bent into some faint resemblance of a chapeau, and decorated with a cockade of dirty ribbons and a cock’s feather; a little white jacket, such as men-cooks wear in the kitchen, and a pair of flaming crimson-plush shorts, cut above the knee, and displaying his naked legs, with sabots, formed his costume. A wooden sword was attached to an old belt round his waist--an ornament of which he seemed vastly proud, and which from time to time he regarded with no small satisfaction. ‘Holloa!’ cried he, starting back, as he stood some six paces off, and gazed at me with most unequivocal astonishment; then recovering his self-possession long before I could summon mine, he said, ‘Bonjour, bonjour, camarade! a fine day for the vintage.’ ‘No better,’ said I; ‘but come a little nearer, and do me the favour to untie these cords.’ ‘Ah, are you long fastened up there?’ ‘The whole night,’ said I, in a lamentable accent, hoping to move his compassion the more speedily. ‘What fun!’ said he, chuckling. ‘Were there many squirrels about?’ ‘Thousands of them. But, come, be quick and undo this, and I ‘ll tell you all about it.’ ‘Gently, gently,’ said he, approaching with great caution about six inches nearer me. ‘When did the rabbits come out? Was it before day?’ ‘Yes, yes, an hour before. But I’ll tell you everything when I ‘m loose. Be alive now, do!’ ‘Why did you tie yourself so fast?’ said he eagerly, but not venturing to come closer. ‘Confound the fellow!’ said I passionately. ‘I didn’t tie myself; it was the--the---- ‘Ah, I know; it was the mayor, old Pierre Bogout. Well, well, he knows best when you ought to be set free. Bonjour,’ and with that he began once more his infernal tune, and set out on his way as if nothing had happened; and though I called, prayed, swore, promised, and threatened with all my might, he never turned his head, but went on capering as before, and soon disappeared in the dark wood.