g in the
neighborhood, so ferret them out and bring them here.'

"I got up, for it was too hot in front of the fire, and Marchas went
on: 'Do you want an idea?'

"'Yes.'

"'Go and see the priest.'

"'The priest? What for?'

"'Ask him to supper, and beg him to bring a woman with him.'

"'The priest! A woman! Ha! ha! ha!'

"But Marchas continued with extraordinary gravity: 'I am not laughing;
go and find the priest and tell him how we are situated, and, as he
must be horribly dull, he will come. But tell him that we want one
woman at least, a lady, of course, since we are all men of the world.
He is sure to have the names of his female parishioners on the tips of
his fingers, and if there is one to suit us, and you manage it well, he
will indicate her to you.'

"'Come, come, Marchas, what are you thinking of?'

"'My dear Garens, you can do this quite well. It will be very funny. We
are well bred, by Jove! and we will put on our most distinguished
manners and our grandest style. Tell the abbe who we are, make him
laugh, soften him, seduce him, and persuade him!'

"'No, it is impossible.'

"He drew his chair close to mine, and as he knew my weak side, the
scamp continued: 'Just think what a swagger thing it will be to do, and
how amusing to tell about; the whole army will talk about it, and it
will give you a famous reputation.'

"I hesitated, for the adventure rather tempted me. He persisted: 'Come,
my little Garens. You are in command of this detachment, and you alone
can go and call on the head of the church in this neighborhood. I beg
of you to go, and I promise you that after the war, I will relate the
whole affair in verse in the "Revue des Deux Mondes." You owe this much
to your men, for you have made them march enough during the last month.'

"I got up at last and asked: 'Where is the parsonage?'

"'Take the second turning at the end of the street; you will then see
an avenue, and at the end of the avenue you will find the church. The
parsonage is beside it.' As I departed he called out: 'Tell him the
bill of fare, to make him hungry!'

"I discovered the ecclesiastic's little house without any difficulty;
it was by the side of a large, ugly, brick church. As there was neither
bell nor knocker, I knocked at the door with my fist, and a loud voice
from inside asked: 'Who is there?' to which I replied: 'A quartermaster
of hussars.'

"I heard the noise of bolts, and of a key being turned. Then I fou