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Rh charcoal-burner, Eustace, young Stephen, and a swarm of young people, all in the greatest excitement, for they were expecting the commander Castanet, who on this day intended to conduct Marietta, his bride, from the village below, in order to unite himself with her in the bonds of marriage. "So the God of love," said Lacoste deridingly, "has made his way even to these solitary mountains, and what is still more, into the enlightened hearts of such pious rebels of the woods? The old heathens were certainly quite right to call him, although a boy, the greatest among all the Gods."

"Cease your profitless mockery," said Marion, who had also climbed up to the summit, "our brother has been long since betrothed to her; the poor girl is there exposed to the daily peril of her life, because her connexion is known, here at least she will share the fortunes of her husband, and shall be protected by us; and if marriage be a holy ordinance, why should not the