The air was weighted with scent of the reseda and of the jasmine which climbed the wall and almost choked the roses.
"The cottage door stood ajar also.

He thrust this open too, and for the first time stood face to face with Mademoiselle Henriette.
"She sat by the kitchen table, with one arm flung across it, and her body bowed with grief.

At her feet lay a trodden bunch of the monkey flowers: and at the tap-tap of his wooden leg on the threshold she sprang up and faced him, across the yellow blossoms.
"'Mademoiselle,' he began, 'I have just learnt--but it is an infamy! _Permettez_--I am French, I also, though you do not know me perhaps.' "And with that M.Benest stammered and came to a halt, for her eyes were worse than woeful.

They were accusing--yes, accusing _him_.

Of what?
_Nom de tonnerre_, what had he done?
"'You, Monsieur! _You_--an officer of France!' "_'Mais quel rapport y a-t-il ?'_ "'Your _parole_, Monsieur!' "_'Peste!_ I forgot,' said M.Benest, half to himself.
"'Forgot?
Forgot your _parole?
Mais ecoutez donc! Nous savons souffrir, nous autres franfaises.