then, also quitting the dead, rejoined
the group he had quitted. Some of those who composed it acquired evil
renown later in the war of the Communists, and came to disastrous ends:
among that number the Pole Loubinsky and other members of the Secret
Council. The Italian Raselli was there too, but, subtler than his
French confreres, he divined the fate of the Communists, and glided
from it--safe now in his native land, destined there, no doubt, to the
funereal honours and lasting renown which Italy bestows on the dust
of her sons who have advocated assassination out of love for the human
race.

Amid this group, too, was a National Guard, strayed from his proper
post, and stretched on the frozen ground; and, early though the hour, in
the profound sleep of intoxication.

"So," said Loubinsky, "you have found your errand in vain, Citizen le
Noy; another victim to the imbecility of our generals."

"And partly one of us," replied the Medecin des Pauvres. "You remember
poor le Roux, who kept the old baraque where the Council of Ten used to
meet? Yonder he lies."

"Don't talk of the Council of Ten. What fools and dupes we were made by
that vieux gredin, Jean Lebeau! How I wish I could meet him again!"

Gaspard le Noy smiled sarcastically. "So much the worse for you, if you
did. A muscular and a ruthless fellow is that Jean Lebeau!" Therewith he
turned to the drunken sleeper and woke him up with a shake and a kick.
"Armand--Armand Monnier, I say, rise, rub your eyes. What if you are
called to your post? What if you are shamed as a deserter and a coward?"

Armand turned, rose with an effort from the recumbent to the sitting
posture, and stared dizzily in the face of the Medecin des Pauvres.

"I was dreaming that I had caught by the throat," said Armand, wildly,
"the aristo who shot my brother; and lo, there were two men, Victor de
Mauleon and Jean Lebeau."

"Ah! there is something in dreams," said the surgeon. "Once in a
thousand times a dream comes true."

CHAPTER V.

The time now came when all provision of food or of fuel failed the
modest household of Isaura; and there was not only herself and the
Venosta to feed and warm--there were the servants whom they had brought
from Italy, and had not the heart now to dismiss to the 'certainty of
famine. True, one of the three, the man, had returned to his native land
before the commencement of the siege; but the two women had remained.
They supported themselves now as