dear old cousin, but this young patient here as well. I
will run directly to the town and fetch better food, for wounds must
not be neglected by any means."

A gaunt, haggered-looking man, in a tattered uniform entered, the
surgeon sprang joyfully to meet him, and shook his meagre hand so
heartily, that his long arm quivered with emotion, and a grim smile of
affability passed over his pale face, under a large hat, which he still
kept on. The new comer who now perceived the Counsellor, took off his
hat, and said: "I did not know, gossip, that you had strangers."

"Not exactly strangers," immediately replied dame Barbara, preventing
her husband's reply, "but a dear cousin of ours, Mr. Peter Florval, who
possessed a pretty house and garden below there in the fruitful
Camargue. The antichrists, the rebellious Camisards have plundered and
burnt every thing, and it was with difficulty that he saved himself
with our little cousin; he will now remain here contenting himself with
our poor house until better times." The stranger drew near, and said
solemnly, while he extended his hand to the Counsellor with a certain
majestic air; "Venerable Mr. Peter Florval, be but at peace and let not
your spirits flag, these times will pass quickly and in less than a
year you will be happy again. I have had dreams, which have predicted
this and still more to me, and my dreams never deceive, as I know how
to give them the right interpretation. The abominable Cavalier has
appeared to me, I could have painted him; behold: a head taller than
myself, broad, muscular as a hercules, moustaches that he might have
twisted twice round his whole head, which he did too, several times, to
make himself look still more terrible. He came up to me, he had a
guard's uniform in his hand: sergeant, I shall be once more under the
banners of the royal guards, and that shall be the sign, that this day
twelve months I shall wear this uniform, and then peace will be in the
land, for without my supernatural giant-strength the rebels would be
unable to do anything, and would be obliged to surrender. Remember
Gerard Dubois, my good Peter, when the thing comes to pass."

Without paying particular attention to the speaker, the surgeon had
again devoted himself to the invalids for whom he had also made up a
bed in the hay loft. He looked after the dog too once more, then gave
his hand to the Counsellor and fetched his hat and stick. "I will go
with you," said Gerard, "i