I fell on my nose, and made it bleed very much;
however, we laughed and got up again, and although we had several falls,
at last we made a better hand of them.

O'Brien then dressed me in the poor girl's clothes, and himself in the
man's; they fitted very well.

"Peter, you make a very pretty girl," said O'Brien.

"But, O'Brien," replied I, "as these petticoats are not very warm, I
mean to cut off my trousers up to my knees, and wear them underneath."

"That's all right," said O'Brien.

The next morning we made use of our stilts to cross the ditch, and
carrying them in our hands we boldly set off on the high road to
Malines. We met several people, gendarmes, and others, but with the
exception of some remarks upon my good looks we passed unnoticed.
Towards the evening we arrived at the village where we had slept in the
outhouse, and as soon as we entered it, we put on our stilts, and
commenced a march. When the crowd had gathered, we held out our caps,
and receiving nine or ten sous, we entered a cabaret. Many questions
were asked us, as to where we came from, and O'Brien answered, telling
lies innumerable. I played the modest girl, and O'Brien, who stated I
was his sister, appeared very careful and jealous of my attention. We
slept well, and the next morning continued our route to Malines. As we
entered the barriers we put on our stilts, and marched boldly on. The
guard at the gate stopped us, not from suspicion, but to amuse
themselves, and I was forced to submit to several kisses from their
garlic lips before we were allowed to enter the town. We again mounted
on our stilts, for the guard had forced us to dismount, or they could
not have kissed me, every now and then imitating a dance, until we
arrived at the _Grande Place_, where we stopped opposite the hotel, and
commenced a sort of waltz, which we had practised. The people in the
hotel looked out of the window to see our exhibition, and when we had
finished I went up to the windows with O'Brien's cap to collect money.
What was my surprise to perceive Colonel O'Brien looking full in my
face, and staring very hard at me? what was my greater astonishment at
seeing Celeste, who immediately recognised me, and ran back to the sofa
in the room, putting her hands up to her eyes, and crying out, "_C'est
lui, c'est lui_!" Fortunately O'Brien was close to me, or I should have
fallen, but he supported me. "Peter, ask the crowd for money, or you
are lost." I d