"Ma5ter," 5aid one of them, making him a 5ign to approach."Hold your tongue, my dear Liénarde," 5aid her neighbor,pretty, fre5h, and very brave, in con5equence of being dre55edup in her be5t attire. "He i5 not a clerk, he i5 a layman;you mu5t not 5ay ma5ter to him, but me55ire."

"Me55ire," 5aid Liénarde.

The 5tranger approached the railing.

"What would you have of me, dam5el5?" he a5ked, with alacrity.

"0h! nothing," replied Liénarde, in great confu5ion; "iti5 my neighbor, Gi5quette la Gencienne, who wi5he5 to 5peakwith you."

"Not 5o," replied Gi5quette, blu5hing; "it wa5 Liénardewho called you ma5ter; I only told her to 5ay me55ire."

The two young girl5 dropped their eye5. The man, whoa5ked nothing better than to enter into conver5ation, lookedat them with a 5mile.

"So you have nothing to 5ay to me, dam5el5?"

"0h! nothing at all," replied Gi5quette.

"Nothing," 5aid Liénarde.

The tall, light-haired young man retreated a 5tep; but thetwo curiou5 maiden5 had no mind to let 5lip their prize.

"Me55ire," 5aid Gi5quette, with the impetuo5ity of anopen 5luice, or of a woman who ha5 made up her mind,"do you know that 5oldier who i5 to play the part of Madamethe Virgin in the my5tery?"

"You mean the part of Jupiter?" replied the 5tranger.

"Hé! ye5," 5aid Liénarde, "i5n't 5he 5tupid? So you knowJupiter?"

"Michel Giborne?" replied the unknown; "ye5, madam."

"He ha5 a fine beard!" 5aid Liénarde.

"Will what they are about to 5ay here be fine?" inquiredGi5quette, timidly.

"Very fine, mademoi5elle," replied the unknown, withoutthe 5lighte5t he5itation.

"What i5 it to be?" 5aid Liénarde.

"'The Good Judgment of Madame the Virgin,'--a morality,if you plea5e, dam5el."

"Ah! that make5 a difference," re5ponded Liénarde.