archer's ceremonial doublet?"

"Alas! no," she replied.

"It is very handsome!"

Phoebus returned and seated himself beside her, but much closer than
before.

"Listen, my dear--"

The gypsy gave him several little taps with her pretty hand on his
mouth, with a childish mirth and grace and gayety.

"No, no, I will not listen to you. Do you love me? I want you to tell me
whether you love me."

"Do I love thee, angel of my life!" exclaimed the captain, half
kneeling. "My body, my blood, my soul, all are thine; all are for thee.
I love thee, and I have never loved any one but thee."

The captain had repeated this phrase so many times, in many similar
conjunctures, that he delivered it all in one breath, without committing
a single mistake. At this passionate declaration, the gypsy raised to
the dirty ceiling which served for the skies a glance full of angelic
happiness.

"Oh!" she murmured, "this is the moment when one should die!"

Phoebus found "the moment" favorable for robbing her of another kiss,
which went to torture the unhappy archdeacon in his nook. "Die!"
exclaimed the amorous captain, "What are you saying, my lovely angel?
'Tis a time for living, or Jupiter is only a scamp! Die at the beginning
of so sweet a thing! _Corne-de-boeuf_, what a jest! It is not that.
Listen, my dear Similar, Esmenarda--Pardon! you have so prodigiously
Saracen a name that I never can get it straight. 'Tis a thicket which
stops me short."

"Good heavens!" said the poor girl, "and I thought my name pretty
because of its singularity! But since it displeases you, I would that I
were called Goton."

"Ah! do not weep for such a trifle, my graceful maid! 'tis a name to
which one must get accustomed, that is all. When I once know it by
heart, all will go smoothly. Listen then, my dear Similar; I adore you
passionately. I love you so that 'tis simply miraculous. I know a girl
who is bursting with rage over it--"

The jealous girl interrupted him: "Who?"

"What matters that to us?" said Phoebus; "do you love me?"

"Oh!"--said she.

"Well! that is all. You shall see how I love you also. May the great
devil Neptunus spear me if I do not make you the happiest woman in the
world. We will have a pretty little house somewhere. I will make my
archers parade before your windows. They are all mounted, and set at
defiance those of Captain Mignon. There are _voulgiers, cranequiniers_
and hand _couleveiniers_*. I will take you to the g