"What in the devil have we got here?" said one of the two who were leaning over her; "I'm very much afraid that it don't amount to much, and I doubt if it's worth while to stop." "Eh? why not?" said the man with the lantern; "it's better'n nothing, anyway. Look, Pierre, she's got a bundle under her head." "A lot of worthless rags; don't you see that she's a woman as works in the fields?" "I say! is she dead or asleep?" said a third. "Come, Leroux, just push her a bit! Are we going to spend the night staring at this drudge?" "Death of my life! I don't know as we've got anything better to do. All's quiet on the road--eh, Jacques?" Jacques was the man who stood a few steps away, apparently listening. When his comrades addressed him, he approached the group about the girl, saying: "Damnation! another bad night!" "Not so bad as it might be!" rejoined Leroux, still gazing at Sister Anne; "morbleu! that's a pretty woman!" It was at that moment that Sister Anne opened her eyes, resolved to appeal to the compassion of the men who surrounded her, and whose language she did not comprehend, having no suspicion of their profession. "I say, look!" cried Leroux; "she's waking up. She's got a fine pair of eyes, on my word! I'm curious to hear what she'll say." Sister Anne cast a glance of entreaty upon them, one after another, clasping her hands as if to implore their pity. "Oh! don't you be afraid," said Pierre; "we ain't going to hurt you. Where did you come from? where you going? what put it into your head to sleep in our forest?" The dumb girl, taking the robbers for woodcutters, tried to make them understand that she had lost her way. "What's this! a woman, and she won't speak!" cried Jacques; "what does this mean? Is it fear that makes her dumb? Come, speak--damnation!" Sister Anne rose, and indicated by signs that she could not speak. "What devilish kind of a woman is this?" cried Pierre; while Leroux, holding his lantern still nearer to her, exclaimed, with a roar of laughter: "My eyes, comrades! Dumb or not, the hen has found her rooster, and the egg won't be long coming!" This jest was welcomed with a savage laugh by the other three robbers; and all four kept their eyes fixed on the poor girl, who, not divining the cause of their merriment, but unable to endure their glances, timidly lowered her eyes and stood trembling in the midst of them. "Come on, let's leave the woman," said Pierre; "she's a poor deaf mute; we mustn't take her on our shoulders." "Deaf?" rejoined Leroux, whose eyes gleamed with a terrifying expression; "why, such a woman as that's a downright treasure. She's so pretty! she takes my eye, and I'll make her my moll as soon as she gets rid of her load." "Nonsense, Leroux! you're joking." "No! ten thousand thunders! a deaf mute--think how useful she'll be to us in our business."