he passenger who sat next to her.

"`Where?--In the camp--Africa--everywhere. I did belong to the army--
that is, my husband was the captain of the 47th. He was killed, poor
man! in the last successful expedition to Constantine:--_c'etait un
brave homme_.'

"`Indeed! Were you at Constantine?'

"`Yes, I was; I followed the army during the whole Campaign.'

"The diligence stopped for supper or dinner, whichever it might be
considered, and the _conducteur_ threw open the doors. `Now,' thought
I, `we shall see her face;' and so, I believe, thought the other
passengers; but we were mistaken; the lady went upstairs and had a basin
of soup taken to her. When all was ready we found her in the diligence,
with her veil down as before.

"This was very provoking, for she was so lively and witty in
conversation, and the features of her face which had been disclosed were
so perfect, that I was really quite on a fret that she would leave me
without satisfying my curiosity:--they talk of woman's curiosity, but we
men have as much, after all. It became dark;--the lady evidently
avoided further conversation, and we all composed ourselves as well as
we could. It may be as well to state in few words, that the next
morning she was as cautious and reserved as ever. The diligence arrived
at this hotel--the passengers separated--and I found that the lady and I
were the only two who took up our quarters there. At all events, the
Frenchmen who travelled with us went away just as wise as they came.

"`You remain here?' inquired I, as soon as we had got out of the
diligence.

"`Yes,' replied she. `And you--'

"`I remain here, certainly; but I hope you do not intend to remain
always veiled. It is too cruel of you.'

"`I must go to my room now, and make myself a little more comfortable;
after that, Monsieur l'Anglais, I will speak to you. You are going over
in the packet, I presume?'

"`I am, by to-morrow's packet.'

"`I shall put myself under your protection, for I am also going to
London.'

"`I shall be most delighted.'

"`_Au revoir_.'

"About an hour afterwards a message was brought to me by the _garcon_,
that the lady would be happy to receive me at Number 19. I ascended to
the second floor, knocked, and was told to come in.

"She was now without a veil; and what do you think was her reason for
the concealment of her person?"

"By the beard of Mokhanna, how can I tell?"

"Well, then, she had two of the most b