"'Eh bien!' said the old woman, who seemed to be struck by her countenance—'vous n'avez pas peur?'
"'Afraid! Oh no!'. replied Julie, 'what should I be afraid of?'
"'If you are afraid of sleeping alone, you can sleep with my son,' continued the hostess.
"'By no means,' replied Julie. 'I am quite satisfied. Do you sleep near me?'
"'I have a little closet close to you—here on the right,' said she, pointing to one of the doors, 'and Rodolphe my son, sleeps on the other side of you. Oh, you'll be quite safe—fear nothing.'
"'I shall sleep like a dormouse,' returned Julie, wishing to appear at ease.
"'To be sure you will,' replied the hostess, with a chuckling laugh, that seemed to Julie's excited nerves to carry some strange and sinister meaning with it; and wishing her good night, she descended the stairs. As soon as she was gone, Julie's first impulse was to look under the bed, and examine the walls of the room, lest there should be any closet or secret door, but there was nothing to alarm her; and the only thing she discovered, which she had not observed on her first entrance, was a small portmanteau which stood on the floor in one corner.
