"I have nothing, little citizens," he said with a mock gravity;
"nothing but my blessing."

And he made a gay gesture with his left hand over their heads, not
the act of benediction, but of peppering, which made them all laugh.
The bride and bridegroom passing on joined in the laughter with
hearts as light and voices scarcely less youthful.

The Frauengasse is intersected by the Pfaffengasse at right angles,
through which narrow and straight street passes much of the traffic
towards the Langenmarkt, the centre of the town. As the little
bridal procession reached the corner of this street, it halted at
the approach of some mounted troops. There was nothing unusual in
this sight in the streets of Dantzig, which were accustomed now to
the clatter of the Saxon cavalry.

But at the sight of the first troopers Charles Darragon threw up his
head with a little exclamation of surprise.

Desiree looked at him and then turned to follow the direction of his
gaze.

"What are these?" she murmured. For the uniforms were new and
unfamiliar.

"Cavalry of the Old Guard," replied her husband, and as he spoke he
caught his breath.

The horsemen vanished into the continuation of the Pfaffengasse, and