Have become almost a beard. Besides this, not having shaved any part of his face during the last three weeks,
there was little of it visible except his eyes, forehead, and cheek-bones. All the rest was more or less
covered with
black hair. No wonder, then,
that Marie, who believed him to be two thousand miles away at that moment, did

not recognise him in the increasing darkness of evening. The lover at once understood this, and he resolved to play the part of a stranger. He happened to have the
power of changing his voice--a po wer possessed by many people--and, trusting to the increasing gloom to conceal him, and to the fact
that he was the last person in the world whom Marie might expect to see there, he addressed her as follows:-- "I am indeed a stranger here; at least I have not been at the post for a very long time. I have just reached the end
of a long voyage." "Indeed," said the girl, interested by the stranger's grave manner. "May I ask wh