e remembered the scenes of social disorder and anarchy
of his childhood,--how every rank became subverted, and how men's
minds were left to their own unbridled influences to choose their own
position,--and he bethought him, that in such trials as these Leon had
conducted himself with moderation; that to his skilful management it was
owing if the property had not suffered confiscation like so many others;
and that it was perhaps hard to condemn a man for being struck by charms
which, however above him in the scale of rank, were still continually
before his eyes.

"Reasoning thus, he determined, as the wisest course, to remove his
sister to the house of a relative, where she could remain during his
absence. This would at once put a stop to the steward's folly,--for so
he could not help deeming it,--and, what was of equal consequence in
the young soldier's eyes, prevent his sister being offended by ever
suspecting the existence of such a feeling towards her. The plan, once
resolved on, met no difficulty from his sister; his promise to return
soon to see her was enough to compensate for any arrangement, and it was
determined that they should set out towards the South by the first week
in September.

"When the intimation of this change first reached Leon, which it did
from the other servants, he could not believe it, and resolved to
hasten to the lieutenant himself, and ask if it were true. On that day,
however, the young soldier was absent shooting, and was not to return
before night. Tortured with doubt and fear, trembling at the very
thought of her departure whose presence had been the loadstar of his
life, he rushed from the house and hurried into the wood. Every spot
reminded him of her; and he shuddered to think that in a few hours his
existence would have lost its spring; that ere the week was passed
he would be alone without the sight of her whom even to have seen
constituted the happiness of the whole day. Revolving such sad thoughts,
he strolled on, not knowing whither, and at last, on turning the angle
of a path, found himself before the object of his musings. She was
returning from a farewell visit to one of the cottagers, and was
hastening to the chateau to dress for dinner.

"'Ah, Monsieur Leon,' said she, suddenly, 'I am glad to meet you here.
These poor people at the wooden bridge will miss me, I fear; you must
look to them in my absence. And there is old Jeannette,--she fancies she
can spin still; I pray