hroughout the
length and breadth of France. The cavalry corps were stationed about
St. Omer and Compiegne, where a rich corn country supplied forage in
abundance. Among the rest, the order came for the huitieme to march: one
squadron only was to remain behind, chosen to execute _le service
des depeches_ from St. Cloud and Versailles to Paris; and to this I
belonged.

From the evening of Monsieur Gisquet's visit I had never seen or heard
of De Beauvais; and at last the hope grew in me that we were to meet no
more, when suddenly the thought flashed across my mind: this is what he
spoke of,--he promised I should be sent to Versailles! Can it be chance?
or is this his doing? These were difficult questions to solve, and gave
me far more embarrassment than pleasure. My fear that my acquaintance
with him was in the end to involve me in some calamity, was a kind of
superstition which I could not combat; and I resolved at once to see
my colonel,--with whom, happily, I was now on the best of terms,--and
endeavor to exchange with some other officer, any being willing to
accept a post so much more agreeable than a mere country quarter, I
found the old man busied in the preparations for departure; he was
marking out the days of march to the adjutant as I entered.

"Well, Burke," said he, "you are the fortunate fellow this time; your
troop remains behind."

"It is on that account, sir, I am come. You'll think my request a
strange one, but if it be not against rule, would you permit me to
exchange my destination with another officer?"

"What,--eh? the boy 's mad! Why, it 's to Versailles you are going."

"I know, sir; but somehow I'd rather remain with the regiment."

"This is very strange,--I don't understand it," said he, leisurely;
"come here." With that he drew me into the recess of a window where we
could talk unheard by others. "Burke," continued he, "I'm not the man
to question my young fellows about secrets which they 'd rather keep for
themselves; but there is something here more than common. Do you know
that in the order it was your squadron was specially marked out--all
the officers' names were mentioned, and yours particularly--for
Versailles?"

A deadly paleness and a cold chill spread over my face. I tried to say
some commonplace, but I could not utter more than the words, "I feared
it." Happily for me he did not hear them, but taking my hand kindly,
said,--

"I see it all: some youthful folly or other would ma