nd I will
endeavor to repay the debt I owe to France, by sending back there one
better than myself to guard her eagles."

The tears ran fast down my cheeks as I heard these words; but not one
syllable could I utter.

"You do not like my plan. Well--"

Before he could conclude, I seized his hand with rapture within both of
mine, and pressed it to my lips.

"It is a bargain, then," said he, gayly. "And now let us lose no more
time; let us remove this breakfast-table, and begin at once."

Another table was soon drawn over to the fire, upon which a mass of
books, maps, and plates were heaped by my companion, who seemed to act
in the whole affair with all the delight of a schoolboy in some exploit
of amusement.

"You are aware, Tom, that this place is a prison to me, and therefore I
am not altogether disinterested in this proposal. You, however, can go
out when you please; but until you understand the precautions necessary
to prevent you from being traced here, it is better not to venture into
the city."

"I have no wish whatever to leave this," said I, quickly, while I ranged
my eye with delight over the pile of books before me, and thought of all
the pleasure I was to draw from their perusal.

"You must tell me so three weeks hence, if you wish to flatter me,"
replied Charles, as he drew over his chair, and pointed with his hand to
another.

It needed not the pleasing and attractive power of my teacher to make my
study the most captivating of all amusements. Military science, even in
its gravest forms, had an interest for me such as no other pursuit
could equal. In its vast range of collateral subjects, it opened an
inexhaustible mine to stimulate industry and encourage research. The
great wars of the world were the great episodes in history, wherein
monarchs and princes were nothing, if not generals. With what delight,
then, did I hang over the pages of Carnot and Jomini! With what an
anxious heart would I read the narrative of a siege, where, against
every disadvantage of numbers and munitions of war, some few resisted
all the attacks of the adverse forces, with no other protection save
that of consummate skill! With what enthusiasm did I hear of Charles the
Twelfth, of Wallenstein, of the Prince Eugene! And how often-times did
I ask myself in secret, Why had the world none such as these to boast of
now?--till at last the name of Bonaparte burst from my companion's lips,
as, with a torrent of long-restrained