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〃We also have something to tell； Dagobert；〃 resumed Rose； after
exchanging glances with her sister。
〃Indeed！〃
〃A secret to tell you。〃
〃A secret？〃
〃Yes； to be sure。〃
〃Ah； and a very great secret！〃 added Rose； quite seriously。
〃A secret which concerns us both；〃 resumed Blanche。
〃Faith！ I should think so。 What concerns the one always concerns the
other。 Are you not always； as the saying goes； 'two faces under one
hood？'〃
〃Truly； how can it be otherwise； when you put our heads under the great
hood of your pelisse？〃 said Rose； laughing。
〃There they are again； mocking…birds！ One never has the last word with
them。 Come； ladies； your secret； since a secret there is。〃
〃Speak； sister；〃 said Rose。
〃No； miss； it is for you to speak。 You are to…day on duty； as eldest；
and such an important thing as telling a secret like that you talk of
belongs of right to the elder sister。 Come； I am listening to you；〃
added the soldier； as he forced a smile； the better to conceal from the
maidens how much he still felt the unpunished affronts of the brute…
tamer。
It was Rose （who； as Dagobert said； was doing duty as eldest） that spoke
for herself and for her sister。
CHAPTER VI。
THE SECRET。
〃First of all； good Dagobert；〃 said Rose； in a gracefully caressing
manner； 〃as we are going to tell our secretyou must promise not to
scold us。〃
〃You will not scold your darlings； will you？〃 added Blanche； in a no less
coaxing voice。
〃Granted！〃 replied Dagobert gravely； 〃particularly as I should not well
know how to set about itbut why should I scold you。〃
〃Because we ought perhaps to have told you sooner what we are going to
tell you。〃
〃Listen； my children；〃 said Dagobert sententiously； after reflecting a
moment on this case of conscience； 〃one of two things must be。 Either
you were right； or else you were wrong； to hide this from me。 If you
were right； very well； if you were wrong； it is done： so let's say no
more about it。 Go onI am all attention。〃
Completely reassured by this luminous decision； Rose resumed； while she
exchanged a smile with her sister。
〃Only think； Dagobert； for two successive nights we have had a visitor。〃
〃A visitor！〃 cried the soldier； drawing himself up suddenly in his chair。
〃Yes； a charming visitorhe is so very fair。〃
〃Fairthe devil！〃 cried Dagobert； with a start。
〃Yes； fairand with blue eyes；〃 added Blanche。
〃Blue eyesblue devils！〃 and Dagobert again bounded on his seat。
〃Yes； blue eyesas long as that；〃 resumed Rose； placing the tip of one
forefinger about the middle of the other。
〃Zounds！ they might be as long as that；〃 said the veteran； indicating the
whole length of his term from the elbow they might be as long as that；
and it would have nothing to do with it。 Fair； and with blue eyes。 Pray
what may this mean； young ladies？〃 and Dagobert rose from his seat with a
severe and painfully unquiet look。
〃There now； Dagobert； you have begun to scold us already。〃
〃Just at the very commencement；〃 added Blanche。
〃Commencement！what； is there to be a sequel？ a finish？〃
〃A finish？ we hope not；〃 said Rose； laughing like mad。
〃All we ask is； that it should last forever；〃 added Blanche； sharing in
the hilarity of her sister。
Dagobert looked gravely from one to the other of the two maidens； as if
trying to guess this enigma； but when he saw their sweet； innocent faces
gracefully animated by a frank； ingenuous laugh； he reflected that they
would not be so gay if they had any serious matter for self…reproach； and
he felt pleased at seeing them so merry in the midst of their precarious
position。
〃Laugh on； my children！〃 he said。 〃I like so much to see you laugh。〃
Then； thinking that was not precisely the way in which he ought to treat
the singular confession of the young girls； he added in a gruff voice：
〃Yes； I like to see you laughbut not when you receive fair visitors
with blue eyes； young ladies！Come； acknowledge that I'm an old fool to
listen to such nonsenseyou are only making game of me。〃
〃Nay； what we tell you is quite true。〃
〃You know we never tell stories；〃 added Rose。
〃They are rightthey never fib；〃 said the soldier； in renewed
perplexity。
〃But how the devil is such a visit possible？ I sleep before your door
Spoil…sport sleeps under your windowand all the blue eyes and fair
locks in the world must come in by one of those two waysand； if they
had tried it； the dog and I； who have both of us quick ears； would have
received their visits after our fashion。 But come； children！ pray； speak
to the purpose。 Explain yourselves！〃
The two sisters； who saw； by the expression of Dagobert's countenance；
that he felt really uneasy； determined no longer to trifle with his
kindness。 They exchanged a glance； and Rose； taking in her little hand
the coarse； broad palm of the veteran； said to him： 〃Come； do not plague
yourself！ We will tell you all about the visits of our friend； Gabriel。〃
〃There you are again！He has a name； then？〃
〃Certainly； he has a name。 It is Gabriel。〃
〃Is it not a pretty name； Dagobert？ Oh； you will see and love； as we do；
our beautiful Gabriel！〃
〃I'll love your beautiful Gabriel； will I？〃 said the veteran； shaking his
head〃Love your beautiful Gabriel？that's as it may be。 I must first
know〃Then； interrupting himself； he added： 〃It is queer。 That reminds
me of something。〃
〃Of what； Dagobert？〃
〃Fifteen years ago； in the last letter that your father； on his return
from France； brought me from my wife： she told me that； poor as she was；
and with our little growing Agricola on her hands； she had taken in a
poor deserted child； with the face of a cherub； and the name of Gabriel
and only a short time since I heard of him again。〃
〃And from whom； then？〃
〃You shall know that by and by。〃
〃Well； thensince you have a Gabriel of your ownthere is the more
reason that you should love ours。〃
〃Yours！ but who is yours？ I am on thorns till you tell me。〃
〃You know； Dagobert；〃 resumed Rose； 〃that Blanche and I are accustomed to
fall asleep； holding each other by the hand。〃
〃Yes； yes； I have often seen you in your cradle。 I was never tired of
looking at you； it was so pretty。〃
〃Well； thentwo nights ago； we had just fallen asleep； when we beheld〃
〃Oh； it was in a dream！〃 cried Dagobert。 〃Since you were asleep； it was
in a dream！〃
〃Certainly； in a dream… how else would you have it？〃
〃Pray let my sister go on with her tale！〃
〃All； well and good！〃 said the soldier with a sigh of satisfaction； 〃well
and good！ To be sure； I was tranquil enough in any casebecausebut
stillI like it better to be a dream。 Continue； my little Rose。〃
〃Once asleep； we both dreamt the same thing。〃
〃What！ both the same？〃
〃Yes； Dagobert； for the next morning when we awoke we related our two
dreams to each other。〃
〃And they were exactly alike。〃
〃That's odd enough； my children； and what was this dream all about？〃
〃In our dream； Blanche and I were seated together； when we saw enter a
beautiful angel； with a long white robe； fair locks； blue eyes； and so
handsome and benign a countenance； that we elapsed our hands as if to