The soldiers passed on. The peasant lay down again, mumbling between his teeth: “Oh, yes! I think I see myself watching convicts! I would much rather dream about my dear Manette; anyway I ain’t afraid of them; those fellows don’t amuse themselves stealing cabbages and carrots.” “We are saved!” said Edouard to his companion, in an undertone. “Not yet,” said Lampin; “this peasant is taking his vegetables to market, and if he should uncover us, I don’t believe he would take us for two bunches of onions.” “What are we to do then?” “Parbleu! we must take to the fields; but let’s wait until this rascal snores well; it won’t be long, as he is thinking of his dear Manette.” In fact, the peasant was soon sound asleep. Thereupon Lampin put one hand out from under the vegetables, seized the rein, and pulled the horse to the other side of the road. The beast knew but two roads, the one to market and the one to his stable. When he was jerked violently away from the former, he supposed that his master was going home, so he turned back toward the village without hesitation. “Well, we are safe now,” said Edouard, softly putting his head out from under the vegetables which covered him, and seeing nothing but trees and fields about him,--no houses. “You always think that you are safe, you idiot,” said Lampin, “but we are not out of danger yet; we have just left Toulon; this peasant is taking us to his village, where we shall be pinched.” “We must get out of the wagon and hide.” “A fine thing to do! hide! Where, I should like to know? In the trees, like parrots? We must gain ground first, and with these chains on our feet, we shan’t go far.” “We will file them.” “Have we got the time? Come, let’s make a bold stroke; we are in a sunken road, and I don’t see any houses, and--first of all, get down, quick.” “And then?” “Get down, I tell you, and stop the horse quietly; meanwhile I will begin by searching our driver.” Edouard got down from the wagon. Lampin drew in the reins, and the horse stopped. “We must unharness him, and escape on him,” said Lampin; “let’s make haste.” As he spoke, he searched the peasant’s pockets and took possession of his knife and a few pieces of money. Edouard, being very awkward and unskilled in the art of unharnessing a horse, called Lampin to his assistance. He seemed to be meditating a new plan as he looked at the peasant’s clothes. “I am in mortal terror that he will wake,” said Edouard. “If he wakes, he is a dead man,” said Lampin, as he hastily alighted and unfastened the straps that held the horse in the shafts. But the peasant was so accustomed to the movement of the wagon that he woke a few moments after it stopped. “Go on, go on, I say!” he said, rubbing his eyes. “We are lost!” whispered Edouard. Lampin did not reply, but he darted toward the wagon, and as the hapless peasant started to rise, he buried his knife in his breast. The man uttered but one feeble cry. Edouard was horrorstruck.