“The happiness was entirely confined to yourself, monsieur,” said Julia, carelessly, “for I really never remember having anywhere seen you.” “I could recall the period, nevertheless, mademoiselle, but it is a painful time to bring back to your memory; you were a very young girl.” Julia did look surprised, and a little uneasy, and perhaps curious, for she said— “Pray to what time do you refer, monsieur? You know our sex are always accounted curious, so I suppose I am like all the rest.” “If all were like you, mademoiselle,” said Monsieur Gramont, with a flattering smile, “this would be a dangerous world for our sex; but the period I refer to was shortly after the taking of Lyons, when Collet d’Herbois, Fouché, and Montait had formed a military commission there.” “Ah! mon Dieu!” exclaimed Julia Plessis, with a start of horror. And Mabel’s cheek turned deadly pale, whilst Lieutenant Thornton gazed, with a frown on his brow, at the unconcerned features of the Frenchman. “Mon Dieu! were you there with those wretches?” “I was a lieutenant in the Chasseurs, mademoiselle, and doing my duty under the orders of General Ronsin. I had no share in the horrors there committed; those men have since received a merited doom for their atrocities; but I was struck at the time, mademoiselle, by the noble devotion of your father and family in the cause of the beautiful and then unfortunate Duchesse de Coulancourt.” Mabel felt intensely uneasy, for as she raised her eyes, she thought, or she fancied, the eyes of Monsieur Gramont rested upon her with a peculiar look. In a low voice she said to Lieutenant Thornton— “Let us go back to the château.” “Well, Monsieur Gramont,” cried our hero, “we will not interrupt you in your sport; there are some clouds overhead, and a fine breeze curls the surface of yonder deep pool, both prognostics in your favour.” The two maidens saluted the Frenchman, who remained uncovered until they turned to depart, and then he said— “Since I have been so fortunate in making such agreeable and charming acquaintance, I will eagerly avail myself of my good fortune.” The party then began retracing their steps, and Bill, from his station, seeing them retiring, rose up; he was quietly smoking his pipe, eyeing all the movements of Monsieur Gramont, for whom he had imbibed a most inconceivable dislike from the very first day of their meeting, and hearing his master say he did not like that Monsieur Gramont, Bill doubly disliked him. He, however, had no dislike for the Frenchwomen; the men, he declared, were born his natural enemies, and the only one he was likely to be reconciled to was the old deaf gardener; but Monsieur Gramont was a tall, handsome man, with whom he felt a monstrous desire to pick a quarrel. The party going away without refreshment, and in which he considered he would have shared after they had finished, was caused by Monsieur Gramont’s intrusion, and this made Bill grumble.