warning of their advent. At this very minute Mr. Horne was somewhat
embarrassed in his attempts, and was not fully in possession of his
usual active powers of movement, nor of his usual presence of mind.
He only looked for escape; and seeing a door partly open, he with
difficulty retreated through it, and I followed him. We found that
we were in a small dressing-room; and as by good luck the door was
defended by an inner bolt, my friend was able to protect himself.

"There shall be another siege, at any rate as stout as the last,
before I surrender," said he.

As the ladies seemed inclined to linger in the room it became a
matter of importance that the above-named articles should fit, not
only for ornament but for use. It was very cold, and Mr. Horne was
altogether unused to move in a Highland sphere of life. But alas,
alas! General Chasse had not been nurtured in the classical
retirement of Ollerton. The ungiving leather would stretch no point
to accommodate the divine, though it had been willing to minister to
the convenience of the soldier. Mr. Horne was vexed and chilled;
and throwing the now hateful garments into a corner, and protecting
himself from the cold as best he might by standing with his knees
together and his body somewhat bent so as to give the skirts of his
coat an opportunity of doing extra duty, he begged me to see if
those jabbering females were not going to leave him in peace to
recover his own property. I accordingly went to the door, and
opening it to a small extent I peeped through.

Who shall describe my horror at the sight which I then saw? The
scene, which had hitherto been tinted with comic effect, was now
becoming so decidedly tragic that I did not dare at once to acquaint