I could not help expressing to the woodman how much I pitied him for being chained for life to a partner of such ill-humour.

“Ah! Lord! Monsieur, everyone has his share of grievances, and Marguerite has fallen to mine. Besides, after all she is only cross, and not malicious. The worst is, that her affection for two children by a former husband makes her play the stepmother with my two sons. She cannot bear the sight of them, and by her goodwill they would never set a foot within my door. But on this point I always stand firm, and never will consent to abandon the poor lads to the world’s mercy, as she has often solicited me to do. In everything else I let her have her own way; and truly she manages a family rarely, that I must say for her.”

We were conversing in this manner, when our discourse was interrupted by a loud halloo which rang through the forest.

“My sons, I hope!” exclaimed the woodman, and ran to open the door.

The halloo was repeated: we now distinguished the trampling of horses, and soon after a carriage, attended by several cavaliers stopped at the cottage door. One of the horsemen enquired how far they were still from Strasbourg. As he addressed himself to me, I answered in the number of miles which Claude had told me; upon which a volley of curses was vented against the drivers for having lost their way. The persons in the coach were now informed of the distance of Strasbourg, and also that the horses were so fatigued as to be incapable of proceeding further. A lady, who appeared to be the principal, expressed much chagrin at this intelligence; but as there was no remedy, one of the attendants asked the woodman whether he could furnish them with lodging for the night.