‘You Frenchwomen!’ called the corporal, tauntingly, as he stepped backwards with his hands behind him. The mother and daughter turned abruptly, and facing him exclaimed together, ‘We glory in the title;’ then reverted to their contemplation of the street. ‘Now,’ said Nicholas, in a low voice, ‘observe my father attentively; he is a skilful general.’ Corporal Deschwanden retreated leisurely backwards, as though retiring from the presence of royalty, till he reached the table, when his hands felt for the casket, and took it up; then, still fronting the window and the women at it, he sidled towards the door, keeping the mother-of-pearl box carefully out of sight. Having reached the door, he asked Percenez if he would accompany him for a stroll. The colporteur gladly consented, and followed him out of the room. The mother and daughter still maintained their position at the open window, till suddenly the former threw up her hands with a cry of dismay, sprang abruptly into the middle of the room, and shrieked out, ‘I am betrayed! the thief! the rogue! the malicious one! He has carried off the mother-of-pearl box. I saw it under his arm. He showed it to Étienne, and laughed as he crossed the street. Madeleine! what shall we do? We will take poison, and die in one another’s arms!’ Then, after a volley of shrieks, she fell on her daughter’s neck and deluged her with tears. ‘I think that was a skilfully-executed manœuvre of my father’s,’ said Nicholas, aside. Gabrielle smiled; but then, observing how distressed was her hostess, she said, in a low voice, ‘I am afraid your mother is heart-broken over her loss.’ ‘Yes, for half an hour, and then she will have forgotten all about it. You will see, when my father returns, it will be with a locket, or a brooch, or a ribbon, and then she will be all “ecstasy and raptures,” and will kiss him on both cheeks, and pronounce him the best of husbands.’ Gabrielle looked up into his face with an expression of delight in her eyes and on her lips. The young man’s eyes rested on her countenance with pleasure. After a moment’s hesitation, he said: ‘Mademoiselle Gabrielle, may I ask you one little favour? I know I have not deserved it by anything I have done, but you will confer a debt of gratitude on my father and on me if you will accede to my request.’ ‘What is it?’ asked the girl, opening her eyes very wide, and wondering very greatly what he meant.