O'Brien then, with some difficulty, pulled off the man's jacket and trowsers, and having so done, buried him in the snow. The poor girl was despoiled of her gown and upper petticoat with every decency, and also buried. We collected the clothes and stilts, and removed to another quarter, where we pitched upon a hovel and took our meal. "Peter," said O'Brien, "lie down and sleep, and I'll keep the watch. Not a word, I will have it--down at once." I did so, and in a very few minutes was fast asleep, for I was worn out with cold and fatigue. Just as the day broke, O'Brien roused me; he had stood sentry all night, and looked very haggard. "O'Brien, you are ill," said I. "Not a bit; but I've emptied the brandy-flask; and that's a bad job. However, it is to be remedied." I did not go to sleep again for some time, I was so anxious to see O'Brien fast asleep. He went in and out several times, during which I pretended to be fast asleep; at last it rained in torrents, and then he laid down, and in a few minutes, overpowered by nature, he fell fast asleep, snoring so loudly that I was afraid some one would hear us. I then got up and watched, occasionally lying down and slumbering awhile, and then going down to the door. CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. EXALTED WITH OUR SUCCESS, WE MARCH THROUGH FRANCE WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GROUND--I BECOME FEMININE--WE ARE VOLUNTARY CONSCRIPTS. At day-break I called O'Brien, who jumped up in a great hurry. "Sure I've been asleep, Peter." "Yes, you have," replied I, "and I thank Heaven that you have, for no one could stand such fatigue as you have much longer; and if you fall ill, what will become of me?" This was touching him on the right point. "Well, Peter, since there's no harm come of it, there's no harm done. I've had sleep enough for the next week, that's certain." We returned to the wood; the snow had disappeared, and the rain ceased; the sun shone out from between the clouds, and we felt warm. "Don't pass so near that way," said O'Brien, "we shall see the poor creatures, now that the sun is gone. Peter, we must shift our quarters to-night, for I have been to every cabaret in the village, and I cannot go there any more without suspicion, although I am a gendarme." We remained there till the evening, and then set off, still returning toward Givet. About an hour before daylight we arrived at a copse of trees close to the road-side, and surrounded by a ditch, not above a quarter of a mile from a village "It appears to me," said O'Brien, "that this will do; I will now put you there, and then go boldly to the village and see what I can get, for here we must stay at least a week."