The Forty-Five Guardsmen

lated, night had begun to fall, envelop

The Sword of the Brave Chevalier," and which was an immense inn, recently built in this new quarter. This house was decorated to suit all tastes. On the entablature was painted a representation of a combat between an archangel and a dragon breathing flame and smoke, and in which the artist, animated by sentiments at once heroic and pious, had depicted in the hands of "the brave chevalier," not a sword, but an immense cross, with which h

as large and comfortable. Unfortunately, from its proximity to the Pre-aux-Clercs, it was frequented by so many persons either going or ready to fight, that those more peaceably disposed avoided it. Indeed, the cupids with which the interior was decorated had been ornamented with mustaches in charcoal by

d replied that he preferred fighting men, and

indow, sadly, and were watching the exercises of some soldiery on the Pre-aux-Clercs, when they saw an officer, followed by a sing

an equally audible voice, "

s head and looked first at the host and hostess and then at the h

empty?" aske

t," replied the host, humiliat

clear-sighted than her husband, and called out, "I

resent," said the officer, who dismounted, threw

ot look more than twenty-eight, so carefully was he dressed.

guest. But there must be something," he added, "eith

me Fournichon; "only the place is

very

"for a person like your lordsh

my kind

ste the wine?" as

isit the rooms?"

if you

descended t

u lodge here?" asked th

irt

s not e

o, mon

-but we will spe

find nothing larger, e

an lodge thi

doub

for a

, forty, or ev

utside?"-"We have often eight

e the house-no spyi

o meddles with no one, and a lady who lives so retired, that al

l do exce

h the b

month fr

be the 26th

hat day I hire your in

to some countrymen, officers-or at least-

it be a

re curious, o

onsieur,"

ed, added, "Monsieur, you shall be master

I said countrymen," repli

eur, it was

give the

tain

y, they will

mons

em all they want, a

ell, mo

irty livres

ll be treated like princes; will you

u, I neve

how shall I know

ous! I forgot. Give me

seal on the paper with a ring he had on his

utiful

present a similar one, on which you will recei

d rode off, leaving the Fournichons delig

host, "the sign has br