“One day at Echelles, I watched a fine carriage coming slowly up the hillside.  There was a young lady, as beautiful as the Virgin Mary, in the carriage, and a young man, who looked like the young lady.  ’Just look,’ he said; ‘there is a pretty girl!’ and he flung a silver coin to me.

“No one but you, M. Benassis, could understand how pleased I was with the compliment, the first that I had ever had:  but, indeed, the gentleman ought not to have thrown the money to me.  I was in a flutter; I knew of a short cut, a footpath among the rocks, and started at once to run, so that I reached the summit of the Echelles long before the carriage, which was coming up very slowly.  I saw the young man again; he was quite surprised to find me there; and as for me, I was so pleased that my heart seemed to be throbbing in my throat.  Some kind of instinct drew me towards him.  After he had recognized me, I went on my way again; I felt quite sure that he and the young lady with him would leave the carriage to see the waterfall at Couz, and so they did.  When they alighted, they saw me once more, under the walnut-trees by the wayside.  They asked me many questions, and seemed to take an interest in what I told them about myself.  In all my life I had never heard such pleasant voices as they had, that handsome young man and his sister, for she was his sister, I am sure.  I thought about them for a whole year afterwards, and kept on hoping that they would come back.  I would have given two years of my life only to see that traveler again, he looked so nice.  Until I knew M. Benassis these were the greatest events of my life.  Although my mistress turned me away for trying on that horrid ball-dress of hers, I was sorry for her, and I have forgiven her, for candidly, if you will give me leave to say so, I thought myself the better woman of the two, countess though she was.”

“Well,” said Genestas, after a moment’s pause, “you see that Providence has kept a friendly eye on you, you are in clover here.”

At these words La Fosseuse looked at Benassis with eyes full of gratitude.

“Would that I was rich!” came from Genestas.  The officer’s exclamation was followed by profound silence.

“You owe me a story,” said La Fosseuse at last, in coaxing tones.

“I will tell it at once,” answered Genestas.  “On the evening before the battle of Friedland,” he went on, after a moment, “I had been sent with a despatch to General Davoust’s quarters, and I was on the way back to my own, when at a turn in the road I found myself face to face with the Emperor.  Napoleon gave me a look.

“‘You are Captain Genestas, are you not?’ he said.

“‘Yes, your Majesty.’

“‘You were out in Egypt?’

“‘Yes, your Majesty.’

“‘You had better not keep to the road you are on,’ he said; ’turn to the left, you will reach your division sooner that way.’