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course and was ready for it。         〃You are aware; M。 de Bezers;〃 I continued; 

〃that   the   Vicomte   has   jurisdiction   extending   to   life   and   death   over   all 

persons within the valley?〃 

     〃My household excepted;〃 he rejoined quietly。 

     〃Precisely;     while   they   are   within   the   curtilage   of   your   house;〃    I 

retorted。    〃However as the punishment was summary; and the man had no 

time to confess himself; I am willing to〃 

     〃Well?〃 

     〃To pay Father Pierre to say ten masses for his soul。〃 

     The    way    the  Vidame     received    this   surprised   me。    He    broke    into 

boisterous     laughter。    〃By     our  Lady;    my   friend;〃   he   cried   with   rough 

merriment;   〃but   you   are   a   joker!    You   are   indeed。    Masses?   Why   the 

man was a Protestant!〃 

     And that startled me more than anything which had gone before; more 

indeed than I can explain。         For it seemed to prove that this man; laughing 

his unholy laugh was not like other men。             He did not pick and choose his 

servants for their religion。        He was sure that the Huguenot would stone 

his   fellow   at   his   bidding;   the   Catholic   cry   〃Vive   Coligny!〃   I   was   so 

completely taken aback that I found no words to answer him; and it was 



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Croisette who said smartly; 〃Then how about his enthusiasm for the true 

faith; M。 le Vidame?〃 

     〃The true faith;〃 he answered〃for my servants is my faith。〃 Then a 

thought   seemed   to   strike   him。    〃What   is   more。〃     he   continued   slowly; 

〃that it is the   true   and only  faith for   all;  thousands   will   learn   before the 

world is ten days older。        Bear my words in mind; boy!            They will come 

back   to   you。   And   now   hear   me;〃   he   went   on   in   his   usual   tone;   〃I   am 

anxious     to  accommodate        a  neighbour。     It  goes   without    saying    that  I 

would not think of putting you; M。 Anne; to any trouble for the sake  of 

that   rascal   of   mine。   But   my   people    will   expect   something。     Let    the 

plaguy  fellow  who   caused   all   this   disturbance   be   given up to   me;  that   I 

may hang him; and let us cry quits。〃 

     〃That is impossible!〃        I answered coolly。       I had no need to ask what 

he meant。      Give up Pavannes' messenger indeed!              Never! 

     He regarded meunmoved by my refusalwith a smile under which I 

chafed; while I was impotent to resent it。             〃Do not build too much on a 

single blow; young gentleman;〃 he said; shaking his head waggishly。                      〃I 

had fought a dozen times when I was your age。 However; I understand that 

you refuse to give me satisfaction?〃 

     〃In the mode you mention; certainly;〃 I replied。            〃But〃 

     〃Bah!〃      he   exclaimed      with   a  sneer;   〃business    first  and   pleasure 

afterwards!      Bezers will obtain satisfaction in his own way; I promise you 

that!    And at his own time。          And it will not be on unfledged bantlings 

like   you。   But   what   is   this   for?〃  And   he   rudely   kicked   the   culverin 

which apparently he had not noticed before; 〃So!                 so!    understand;〃 he 

continued; casting a sharp glance at one and another of us。                〃You looked 

to be besieged! Why you; booby; there is the shoot of your kitchen midden; 

twenty feet above the roof of old Fretis' store!          And open; I will be sworn! 

Do you think that I should have come this way while there was a ladder in 

Caylus!      Did you take the wolf for a sheep?〃 

     With that he turned on his heel; swaggering away in the full enjoyment 

of   his   triumph。   For   a   triumph   it   was。 We   stood   stunned;   ashamed   to 



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look    one   another    in   the  face。   Of    course    the   shoot   was    open。    We 

remembered   now   that   it   was;   and   we   were   so   sorely   mortified   by   his 

knowledge and our folly; that I failed in my courtesy; and did not see him 

to the gate; as I should have done。          We paid for that later。 

     〃He is the devil in person!〃          I exclaimed angrily; shaking my fist at 

the House of the Wolf; as I strode up and down impatiently。                    〃I hate him 

worse!〃 

     〃So do I!〃      said Croisette; mildly。        〃But that he hates us is a matter 

of more importance。         At any rate we will close the shoot。〃 

     〃Wait   a   moment!〃       I   replied;   as   after   another   volley   of   complaints 

directed at our visitor; the lad was moving off to see to it。 What is going on 

down there?〃 

     〃Upon      my   word;    I  believe   he   is  leaving    us!〃   Croisette     rejoined 

sharply。 

     For there was a noise of hoofs below us; clattering on the pavement。 

Half…a…dozen horsemen were issuing from the House of the Wolf; the ring 

of   their   bridles   and   the   sound   of   their   careless   voices   coming   up   to   us 

through the clear morning air Bezers' valet; whom we knew by sight; was 

the last of them。       He had a pair of great saddle…bags before him; and at 

sight    of   these   we    uttered   a   glad   exclamation。       〃He     is  going!〃     I 

murmured; hardly able to believe my eyes。               〃He is going after all!〃 

     〃Wait!〃     Croisette answered drily。 

     But   I   was   right。   We   had   not   to   wait   long。  He   WAS   going。       In 

another   moment   he   came   out   himself;   riding   a   strong   iron…grey   horse: 

and   we   could   see   that   he   had   holsters   to   his   saddle。 His   steward   was 

running beside him; to take I suppose his last orders。                 A cripple; whom 

the bustle had attracted from his usual haunt; the church porch; held up his 

hand   for   alms。    The   Vidame   as   he   passed;   cut   him  savagely  across   the 

face with his whip; and cursed him audibly。 

     〃May the devil take him!〃            exclaimed Croisette   in just rage。         But   I 

said    nothing;    remembering        that  the   cripple    was   a   particular    pet  of 

Catherine's。      I thought instead of an occasion; not so very long ago; when 



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the Vicomte being at home; we   had had a great hawking party。                      Bezers 

and Catherine had ridden up the street together; and Catherine giving the 

cripple a piece of money; Bezers had flung to him all his share of the game。 

And my heart sank。 

     Only for  a  moment;  however。           The  man was   gone;   or  was   going   at 

any rate。     We stood silent and motionless; all watching; until; after what 

seemed   a   long   interval;   the   little   party   of   seven   became   visible   on   the 

white road far below usto the northward; and moving in that direction。 

Still we watched them; muttering a word to one another; now and again; 

until   presently   the   riders   slackened   their   pace;   and   began   to   ascend   the 

winding   track   that   led   to   the   hills   and   Cahors;   and   to   Paris   also;   if   one 

went far enough。 

     Then at length with a loud 〃Whoop!〃               we dashed across the terrace; 

Croisette leading; and so through the courtyard to the parlour; where we 

arrived breathless。       〃He is off!〃     Croisette cried shrilly。       〃He has started 

for Paris!     And bad luck go with him!〃              And we all flung up our caps 

and shouted。 

     But   no   answer;   such   as   we   expected;   came   from   the   women   folk。 

When   we   picked   up   our   caps;   and   looked   at   Catherine;   feeling   rather 

foolish; she   was staring at us   with a   white   face and great   scornful   eyes。 

〃Fools!〃      she said。    〃Fools!〃 

     And that was all。       But it was enough to take me aback。             I had looked 

to   see   her   face   lighten   at   our   news;   instead   it   wore   an   expression   I   had 

never seen on it before。         Catherine; so kind and gentle; calling us fools! 

And     without   cause!     I   did  not  understand     it。  I   turned   confusedly   to 

Croisette。     He was looking at her; and I saw that he was frightened。                  As 

for Madame Claude; she was crying in the corner。                 A presentiment of evil 

made my heart sink like lead。          What had happened? 

     〃Fools!〃      my    cousin    repeated    with   exceeding      bitterness;   her   foot 

tapping the parquet unceasingly。            〃Do you 

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