in consequence of the theatening rain, he has spread his white handkerchief over his new hat, by these marks he will be clearly enough known to you: he is an elderly man, who, I should think, has never been a soldier. Bring him here safe and sound with his dispatches."
Bertrand took with him two assistants, and mounted on light ponies, they hurried down the mountain towards the well known ravine.
Lacoste listened to these instructions with staring eyes: "Little brother," said he thoughtfully, "if thy information be at all true, thy little finger has more penetration than the whole of my large body. But I still believe, thy red-coated courier will not be found in the circle of created beings, and good Bertrand will have been made a little bit of an April-fool by his general, in order to afford some innocent amusement to the bridal pair. If it's not all a humbug, well and good, more must be said about it when an opportunity occurs."
