a Duguseclin, a Jeanne d'Arc perhaps? or another Napoleon the
Great?--"Ah! if the Imperial Prince had not been so young!"--Cornudet
listening to their conversation, was smiling as a man who holds
the keys to destiny.--His pipe perfumed the whole kitchen.

As it was striking ten o'clock, Mr. Follenvie appeared. He was
immediately questioned, but he only repeated two or three times,
without any variation, the following words:--"The Officer told me
so!"--"Monsieur Follenvie, you will forbid the driver to harness
up the coach of these travelers to-morrow morning. I don't want
them to go without my order. You understand? That is enough!"

Then they wanted to see the Officer. The Count sent in his card
on which Mr. Carre-Lamadon added his own name and all his titles.
The Prussian sent word that the two men would be admitted to speak
to him after he had had his luncheon, that is to say about one
o'clock.

The ladies came down, and they all had a bite, in spite of their
anxiety. Boule de Suif seemed to be sick and prodigiously worried.

They were finishing their coffee, when the orderly came to call
the gentlemen. Loiseau joined the first two, but as they tried to
induce Cornudet to go with them in order to add more solemnity to
their application, he declared proudly that he expected not to have
any intercourse with the Germans; and he resumed his seat near the
fire-place, ordering another jug of beer.

The three men went up and were ushered into the finest room of the
inn, in which the Officer received them, stretched on an armchair,