ity was as a place for runaway
couples to get married; that the inn of the 'Golden Fleece' was known
over the whole kingdom, and the Pere Jose's reputation wide as the
Archbishop of Ghent's; and as to the phrase 'sous la cheminee', it is
only applied to a clandestine marriage, which is called a 'mariage sous
la cheminee.'

'Now I,' continued he, 'can readily believe every word you 've told me;
yet there's not another person in Rochepied would credit a syllable of
it. Never hope for an explanation. In fact, before you would be listened
to, there are at least two duels to fight--the count first, and then
D'Espagne. I know Laura well; she 'd let the affair have all its eclat
before she will say a word about it; and, in fact, your executors may
be able to clear your character--you 'll never do so in your lifetime.
Don't go back there,' said the abbe, 'at least for the present.'

'I'll never set my eyes on one of them,' cried I, in desperation. 'I'm
nigh deranged as it is; the memory of this confounded affair----'

'Will make you laugh yet,' said the abbe. 'And now good-night, or rather
good-bye: I start early to-morrow morning, and we may not meet again.'

He promised to forward my effects to Dinant, and we parted.

'Monsieur will have a single bed?' said the housemaid, in answer to my
summons.

'Yes,' said I, with a muttering I fear very like an oath.

Morning broke in through the half-closed curtains, with the song of
birds and the ripple of the gentle river. A balmy gentle air stirred the
leaves, and the sweet valley lay in all its peaceful beauty before me.

'Well, well,' said I, rubbing my eyes, 'it was a queer adventure;
and there's no saying what might have happened had they been only ten
minutes later. I'd give a napoleon to know what Laura thinks of it now.
But I must not delay here--the very villagers will laugh at me.'

I ate my breakfast rapidly and called for my bill. The sum was a mere
trifle, and I was just adding something to it when a knock came to the
door.

'Come in,' said I, and the _pere_ entered.

'How sadly unfortunate,' began he, when I interrupted him at once,
assuring him of his mistake--telling him that we were no runaway couple
at all, had not the most remote idea of being married, and in fact owed
our whole disagreeable adventure to his ridiculous misconception.

'It's very well to say that _now_,' growled out the _pere_, in a very
different accent from his former one. 'You may pret