But they wouldn’t part with him, and hurried him away. She was preparing to follow the soldiers--when with a run he was at her side, quite out of breath. She did not care about following the soldiers now. Truth to tell, she sat down on a bank and began chatting. “Here I am, you see.” “What already?” “La--when I gave them the slip--the sergeant roared like a bull.” “Ah--my father!” “(Confound it.) No--one near him.” “Well--_he’s_ my father. “I mean the old man.” “And _he’s_ my father too!” “Why, the whole regiment?” “Exactly so. The whole regiment is my father.” “Ah! I see.” “But now tell me, why have you followed the regiment? I thought when I said good bye to you that I should never, never see you again.” “I don’t think you did think so, because you must have known I couldn’t live away from you, because you must have known I loved you, and I _do_ love you.” “Ha, ha!” “Will you not believe me?” “Well--I don’t know.” “From the moment I saved you--I have known no rest.” “Ah--then you had better not have saved me. But want of rest don’t prove you love me!” “But I have left my friends and my country to follow you!” “Such desertion I can’t pardon!”-- “And I would die for you--and I will!” “Oh nonsense--why die? When a youth loves a girl he should live for her.” “Marie!” “Ah--well. Here’s the decision of the court martial:--I think you _do_ love me. And--and _I_ don’t feel so free as I did.” “Then you do not hate me.” “Hate!--no--no. Here am I,” she thought, “Who always hated the enemy,--here am I--talking with one of them--and--and not disliking to talk! And--and Tony,” she said, slyly, “that flower you gave me--I have it now.” Whereupon and thereupon he clasped her to his heart like a man. “Ho--ho-ho--by the lock of a musket,” said Sergeant Sulpice, coming up in time to witness this delightful embrace. “The Tyrolese, who just now escaped!” “Sergeant--I’m Marie’s husband’s self.” “Traitor!” “Tut--tut--tut--sergeant,” said the little vivandiere, coming before Marie’s husband’s self--like a bastion--“qui-i-i-iet.” “I say Marie is already promised to the bravest in our ranks.” “Pooh! a girl can’t marry her own father, you know. Besides, your own words prove Tony’s right. You say I’m promised to the bravest man in the regiment,--well, he’s of the regiment--and was either of _you_ so brave as to save my life?” “Good--Marie--good!” “Si-i-i-i-ilence--private!” “I may speak, sergeant.” “I say she shall marry one of us.” “Shall--sergeant? Then here it is. I will marry Tony, and I will marry nobody else but Tony.” “Gone over to the enemy bag and baggage. But as for you, my man, I’ll break your bones.” “Attention--march--Tony.” And away the two went, leaving Sergeant Sulpice boiling with rage. He was walking away, when the marquis’s steward approached very respectfully. “Captain--pardon.” “By Bacchus--if she marries him. “Him--captain--pardon.” “Hullo! there, don’t be afraid.” “Captain.” “Ser-r-rgeant.”