"It is lucky," Philip said to Jacques, as they proceeded on their
way after the troop had ridden on, "that he did not think of asking
us if we were Huguenots."
"I was expecting it myself, sir," Jacques said; "and I was just
turning it over in my conscience, how I could answer."
"There could be but one answer, Jacques; though no doubt it would
have cost us our lives."
"I should not deny my faith, even to save my life, sir, if the
question were put to me: 'Are you a Huguenot?' But I think that
when four lives are at stake, it is lawful to take any opening
there may be to get out of it."
"But how would there have been an opening, Jacques?"
"Well, sir, you see, if he had asked, 'Are you Huguenots?' I think
I could have said 'No,' with a clear conscience, seeing that you
are an Englishman. Your religion may be like ours, but you are not
a Huguenot; and although Pierre does not seem to me to have quite
made up his mind as to what he is, assuredly I should not call him
a Huguenot. So you see, sir, that as only two out of the four are
Huguenots, there would have been no lie to my saying 'no' to that
question. But if he had said 'Are you Catholics?' I must have
answered 'No,' seeing that none of us go to mass."
"It is a nice question," Philip said; "but seeing that the
Catholics never keep their oaths and their promises to what they
call heretics, I think that one would be justified, not in telling
a lie, for nothing can justify that, but in availing one's self of
a loophole such as one would scorn to use, to others. I should be
sorry to have the question asked me, though seeing I am not myself
a Huguenot, although I am fighting with them, I think that I could
reply 'no;' especially as it is not a question of my own life only,
but one involving the whole cause of the Huguenots.
"If I were in your place, I don't know that I should do so; but as
you say that you could do it, without your conscience pricking you,
I certainly should not put pressure upon you to say 'yes.' However,
I hope you may never be asked the question, and that we shall meet
with no more interruptions until we get to Nerac. There can be
little doubt that, at present, the Catholics have received no
orders to seize the queen and her son at Nerac; although they have
orders to prevent her, at all costs, from going forward to Paris
except under escort; and are keeping a sharp lookout, to prevent
her from being joined by parties of Huguenots who would render her
force formidable.
"I should hope that, by this time, we are past the last of their
bands. Those we met just now doubtless belonged to the force
gathered in Bazas; and it is in the direction of the north, rather
than the west, that the Catholics are most vigilant. If she
succeeds in making her way through them, it will be well nigh a
miracle.
"Now that we are well past Bazas, we will leave the road and make
our way across the fields; for it is upon the roads that any watch
there may be will be set."
It was a long day's journey, and at eight o'clock in the evening
they lay down in a wood, ten miles from Nerac; having walked fully
fifty miles since crossing the river Ciron.
"I am very glad, Monsieur Philip, that we were not here four hours
earlier."
"Why, Pierre?"
"Because, sir, in that case you would have insisted on pushing on
to Nerac, so as to enter it before the gate is closed; and in that
case I doubt whether, with the best will, I could have got that
far, and I am sure that Jacques and Roger could not have done so."
"No, indeed," Jacques said, "I have done my last inch. For the last
four hours I felt as if walking upon hot irons, so sore are my
feet; and indeed, I could not have travelled at all, if I had not
taken your advice and gone barefoot."
They had bought some wine and bread in a little village through
which they had passed and, as soon as they had finished their
supper, they lay down to sleep. They were up next morning long
before daybreak, and were at the gates of Nerac before they opened.
A group of countrymen were gathered there and, as soon as the
drawbridge was lowered, they entered the town with them. They
observed that there were sentries all round the walls, and that a
keen watch was kept. As Philip was aware, the majority of the
inhabitants there were Huguenots, and the governor was a nobleman
of Bearn; and it was doubtless for this reason that the Queen of
Navarre had halted there, as Nerac was a strong town, and not to be
taken without a regular siege.
They had no difficulty in ascertaining where the queen was lodged.
Early as it was, several Huguenot gentlemen, armed to the teeth,
were gathered round the door. Philip, leaving his companions behind
him, went up to the group and, addressing one of them, said:
"I am the bearer of a message for the queen. It is important. May I
pray you, sir, to cause this ring to be conveyed to her. It is a
token that she will recognize."
The gentleman glanced at the ring.
"She may well do that," he said, "seeing that it bears her own
cognizance. The queen is already up, and I will cause it to be sent
in to her, at once."
Two minutes later another gentleman came out.
"Her majesty will at once see the messenger who has brought the
ring," he said, and Philip at once followed him into the house.
He was conducted to a room where a lady was sitting whom he
recognized, by the descriptions he had read of her, as the Queen of
Navarre. Beside her stood a lad of fifteen.
"You come from the Admiral!" she said. "Have you despatches for
me?"
"I have a paper sewn up in my boot, your majesty; but it was read
over to me several times, in case either water or wear should
render it illegible."
"He has reached La Rochelle safely, as I heard three days since,"
the queen said, "with but a small following?"
"He and the prince had over five hundred with them, when they rode
in, your majesty; and parties were arriving, hourly, to swell his
force. On the day I left he was going out to attack Niort and, that
captured, he was going to move south. That was the message I was
charged to deliver. You will find him either in Cognac, or in front
of that town."
"That is good news, indeed," the queen said, "for I should have had
to make a wide detour to pass round the Charente, all the towns and
bridges being held by our enemies. It will be difficult enough to
cross the intervening rivers. Indeed, as the news that I had
started hence would arrive, long before I did myself, it would be
hopeless to elude their vigilance; and I should have had to make a
long bend to the east, and might well have been cut off before I
could reach him.
"And who are you, sir, that the Admiral should think fit to intrust
so important a message to you?"
"I am English born, madam, and my name is Philip Fletcher. My
mother was French, being the daughter of the Count de Moulins; and
she sent me over to reside with her sister, the Countess of
Laville, in order that I might fight for the cause of the religion,
by the side of my cousin Francois. I rode with him through the last
campaign, in the train of Francois de la Noue and, having had the
good fortune to attract the notice of the Prince of Conde and the
Admiral, they selected me to bear this message to you; thinking
that, being but a lad, I should better escape suspicion and
question than a French gentleman would do; especially as he would
risk being recognized, while my face would be altogether unknown.
"Now, if your majesty will permit me, I will open the lining of my
shoe. You will find, however, that the despatch contains but a few
words. At first the Admiral thought only to give me a message; but
he afterwards wrote what he had said, in order that, should any
evil befall me by the way, one of the three men who accompanied me
should take my shoe and bring it to your majesty."
By this time he had slit open the lining of his shoe with his
knife, and handed the little piece of paper to the queen. It
contained only the words:
"All goes well. Am hoping to see you. You will find me in or near
Cognac."
There was no signature.
"You have done good service to the cause, Monsieur Fletcher," the
queen said. "How did you manage to pass south, for I hear that
every bridge and ford is guarded by the Catholics?"
Philip gave a brief account of his journey.
"You have acted prudently and well, young sir; and fully justified
the Admiral's confidence in your prudence. What are your orders
now?"
"They are simply to accompany your majesty on your way north, if it
be your pleasure to permit me to ride in your train."
"I shall do that right willingly, sir; and it will be a pleasure
for my son to hear, from your lips, a full account of your journey
hither, and something of your native land, in which it may be that
he will be, some day, compelled to take refuge."
"You shall ride by my side, Monsieur Philip," the young prince
said. "You look as if you could laugh and joke. These Huguenot
lords are brave and faithful, but they have ever serious faces."
"Hush, Henri! It is not fitting to speak so. They are brave and
good men."
"They may be that, mother, but they weary me dreadfully; and I am
sure it would be much more cheerful having this English gentleman
as my companion."
The young prince was tall for his age, active and sinewy. His
mother had brought him up as if he had been a peasant boy. As a
child he had run about barefoot and, as he grew, had spent much of
his time among the mountains, sometimes with shepherds, sometimes
engaged in the chase. Jeanne herself had a horror of the corruption
of the French court, and strove to make her son hardy and robust,
with simple tastes and appetites; and preferring exercise, hard
work, and hunter's food to the life of the town. He had practised
constantly in arms, and his mother regretted nothing so much as the
fact that, next to the king and his brothers, he stood in
succession to the French throne; and would have been far happier
that he should rule, some day, over the simple and hardy people of
Navarre.
"The first thing to do, Monsieur Fletcher," the queen said, "is to
obtain more suitable garments for yourself and your followers. This
my chamberlain shall see about, without delay. I will then present
you to the gentlemen who accompany me. They are but a small party,
but we have received promises from many others, who will join us on
our way.
"I may tell you it is already arranged that I shall set forward
this evening. Monsieur D'Escars has, I hear, some four thousand
gentlemen under arms; but these are widely scattered, and I hope to
have a sufficient force to overcome them at any point we may make
for. Some friends have secretly collected two or three boats near
Tonneins, where there is but a small part of the Catholics
assembled. Once past the Garonne, we shall feel safe for a time."
"Would it please you that I should ride on first to Tonneins, your
majesty, and ascertain if the garrison there are not alert, and
have no suspicion that you are about to cross so close to them?
Being a stranger here I could pass unsuspected; while were any of
the gentlemen with you seen near Tonneins, it would create
suspicion that you, yourself, were about to cross in the
neighbourhood."
"I thank you for that offer," the queen said, "and will speak to
you about it, later on."
As Philip had been furnished with money, he did not trouble the
queen's chamberlain, but at once purchased clothes for himself and
his three followers, together with breast and back piece for
Jacques and Roger. On his return to the queen, after an hour's
absence, he was informed that Prince Henri had made inquiries for
him, and was shown into a room where the young prince was sitting
down to his breakfast, the queen being engaged in business with
some of her councillors.
"That is right, Monsieur Fletcher. I have been waiting breakfast
for you, for half an hour. Come, sit you down with me. I warrant
you have been too busy, since you arrived at Nerac, to think of a
meal."
"I don't think, Prince," Philip began, "that it would be seemly
that I--"
"Nonsense," the prince interrupted, "we are not at the court of
France, thank goodness, and we have no ceremony at Bearn. Besides,
a simple gentleman may dine with the king, any day. So sit down
without any more delay, and let me hear all your adventures."
Philip still hesitated, and the prince said:
"I told my mother that I was going to have you to breakfast with
me; and I believe she was well satisfied that I should, for a time,
be out of her way."
This removed any doubt from Philip's mind, and he at once sat down
with the prince and ate a hearty meal; after which he chatted with
him for an hour, telling him about the journey from La Rochelle,
the rescue of the Huguenots near Niort, and some of the adventures
in the last war.
"And you were with my cousin Conde, and the Admiral, in the battle
of Saint Denis. What luck you have had, Monsieur Fletcher. I hope
the day will come when I, too, shall take a part in war, and be a
great leader like the Admiral; but I would rather that it was
against Spaniards, or others, than against Frenchmen."
The door opened, and the queen entered. Philip rose hastily, but
she motioned him to be seated.
"No ceremony, I beg of you, Master Philip. I am glad to find you
here, with my son. I have spoken to some of my friends of your
offer to go to Tonneins, but they think not well of it. It is a
small place, and a stranger would be sure to be questioned; but it
was agreed that, if you would ride through Agen, you might do us
great service. Five leagues from Tonneins Fontarailles, the
seneschal of Armagnac, will be waiting for me, in the morning, with
a troop of horse and a regiment of infantry. If the governor of
Agen has news of his coming, he may send out a force to attack him
or, should he not feel strong enough for that, he may at least
think that I am intending to join the seneschal; and in that case
he may send out troops, to bar the roads leading thither from the
river. As many will be passing through Agen, on their way to join
D'Escars, the passage of a gentleman and two men-at-arms will
excite no attention; and if you put up for a short time at an inn,
you may be able to gather whether there has been any movement of
the troops, or whether there is any talk of the departure of any,
this evening.
"Should all be quiet, you can join me on the road; or ride direct
to the village of Villeneuve d'Agenois, where the seneschal will
arrive, some time tonight. If you should hear of any movements of
troops, ride down on the other side of the river till within two
miles of Tonneins; then, if you place your men at intervals of
three or four hundred yards apart, you will be sure to see us
cross, and can give us warning of danger, and such indications as
you may gather as to the points where the troops are likely to be
posted. We shall cross about midnight."
"I will gladly undertake the mission," Philip said. "I will go out
and procure some horses, at once."
"That is unnecessary," the queen said. "We have brought several
spare horses with us, and I have already ordered four to be saddled
for you. You have no armour, I see."
"I would rather ride without it, your majesty, especially on such a
mission as the present. Besides, if in full armour I might well be
accosted, and asked to whose party I belong; while riding in as I
am, unarmed, save for my sword, I should have the air of a
gentleman of the neighbourhood, who had merely ridden in on
business, or to learn the latest news."
The queen smiled approvingly.
"You see, Henri, this gentleman, although about to undertake a
dangerous business, does not proceed rashly or hastily, but thinks
coolly as to the most prudent course to pursue.
"You will understand, Monsieur Fletcher, that several of the
gentlemen with me have volunteered for this duty, and that we have
accepted your offer solely because they could scarcely enter Agen
without meeting some who know them; while you, being a stranger, do
not run this risk."
"Moreover, madam, I have another advantage. Were any of them
questioned, and asked directly, 'Are you a Huguenot?' they could
not but answer yes; whereas, were that question put to me I could
reply 'no,' seeing that I am an English Protestant, and in no way,
save in my sympathies, a Huguenot."
"That is an advantage, certainly; but it may be the question will
be put, 'Are you a Catholic?'"
"In that case, your majesty, I could only reply 'no;' but methinks
the other question is the most likely one."
"I wish I were going to ride with Monsieur Fletcher, mother."
"That is impossible, Henri; for scarce a Gascon gentleman but has
been down, at one time or other, to Bearn. Do not be anxious for
adventures. They will come in time, my son, and plenty of them.
Would that you could pass your life without one; but in these
troubled times, and with France divided against itself, that is too
much to hope.
"Should you by any chance, Monsieur Fletcher, fail to rejoin us at
Villeneuve d'Agenois, you may overtake us farther on. But run no
risk to do so. You know whither we are bound, and I trust that,
when we arrive there, we may find you before us. I myself will
retain the ring that you brought me, and will return it to the
Admiral; but wear this, in remembrance of one in whose service you
risked your life," and she handed him a diamond ring, which he knew
enough of gems to be aware was of considerable value.
"And take this dagger," the prince said, taking a small and
beautifully tempered weapon from his belt. "It is but a bodkin, but
it is of famous steel. It was sent me by Philip of Spain, at a time
when he was trying to cajole my mother, and is of the best
workmanship of Toledo."
Philip expressed his thanks for the gifts in suitable words; and
then, taking leave of the queen and prince, went down to the
courtyard. Here he found Pierre and the two men-at-arms, standing
at the head of three powerful horses; while one of the queen's
retainers held a very handsome animal in readiness for himself.
"Her majesty begs you to accept these horses, sir, as a slight
token of her goodwill."
In five minutes, the party had issued from Nerac; Pierre, as usual,
keeping close behind Philip, and the two men-at-arms riding a few
lengths behind.
"This is truly a change for the better, Monsieur Philip," Pierre
said. "We entered Nerac as tillers of the soil, we ride out in
knightly fashion."
"Yes, Pierre, it is good to be on the back of a fine horse again;
and this one I am riding is worthy of a place beside Victor and
Robin."
"Yes, he is as good as either of them, sir. I am not sure that he
is not better. We, too, are well content with the queen of
Navarre's generosity; for her steward gave us, before we started,
each a purse of twenty crowns, which has been a wonderful salve to
our sore feet. I trust there will be no more occasion to use them,
for a time."
"I hope not. It was a long journey, but it was fortunate that we
pushed on as we did; for had we been twelve hours later, we should
not have found the queen at Nerac."
"And why does not your honour stay to ride with her?" Pierre asked.
"I hope to join her again, tonight. We are going through Agen,
where I hope to gather such news, of the movements of the Catholic
troops, as may be of use to her."
Agen was about fifteen miles distance from Nerac, and as there was
no occasion for haste, and Philip did not wish the horses to have
the appearance of being ridden fast, they took three hours in
traversing the distance.
When they neared the town, he said to Pierre:
"I shall not take you with me. If there should be trouble--though I
do not see how this can well come about--four men could do no more
than one. Therefore, Pierre, do you follow me no nearer than is
sufficient to keep me in sight. The other two will follow you at an
equal distance, together or separately.
"Should any accident befall me, you are on no account to ride up,
or to meddle in the business. I have told you what my instructions
are, and it will be your duty to carry them out, if I am taken. You
will put up your horse and, mingling with the soldiers and
townspeople, find out if there is any movement in the wind, or
whether any troops have already gone forward. Jacques and Roger
will do the same, and you will meet and exchange news. If you find
that anything has been done, or is going to be done, towards
putting more guards on the river, or despatching a force that might
interfere with the passage of the queen from Tonneins to Villeneuve
d'Agenois, Roger and Jacques will ride to the point where I told
you the crossing is to be made, and will warn the queen of the
danger. I leave you free to ride with them, or to stay in the town
till you learn what has happened to me. If you should find that
there is no movement of troops, you and the others will be free
either to ride to Pontier, or to make your way back to Cognac; and
to join my cousin and give him news of what has happened to me. If
I am only held as a prisoner, the Admiral will doubtless exchange a
Catholic gentleman for me. He is sure to take many prisoners at the
capture of the towns."
He then called the two men-at-arms up, and repeated the
instructions relating to them.
"But may we not strike in, should you get into trouble, master?
Roger and I would far rather share whatever may befall you."
"No, Jacques, it would be worse in every way. Force could be of no
avail, and it would lessen my chance of escape, were you beside me.
Single handed I might get through, and trust to the speed of my
horse. If taken, I might plan some mode of escape. In either case
it would hamper me, were you there. Above all it is important that
my mission should be fulfilled, therefore my commands on that head
are strict. I do not apprehend trouble in any way; but if it should
occur, you will at once turn your horses down the first street you
come to, so that you may in no way be connected with me. Pierre
will, of course, turn first. You will follow him, see where he
stables his horse, then go on to some other cabaret and, having put
up your horses, go back to the place where he has stopped, wait
till he joins you outside, then arrange for the hour at which you
are to meet again, and then go off in different directions to
gather the news of which we are in search.
"Take no further thought about me, at all. Give your whole minds to
the safety of the queen. Upon that depends greatly the issue of
this war. Were she and her son to fall into the hands of the
Catholics, it would be a fatal blow to the cause."
So saying, he rode on again at the head of the party. When within a
quarter of a mile of the town, he again called Pierre up to him.
"Pierre, do you take this ring and dagger. Should I be taken, I
shall assuredly be searched to see whether I am the bearer of
despatches. I should grieve to lose these gifts, as much as I
should to fall into the hands of the Catholics. Keep them for me,
until you learn that there is no chance of my ever returning to
claim them; and then give them to my cousin, and beg him in my name
to return the ring to the Queen of Navarre, and the dagger to the
young prince."
"I like not all these provisions," Pierre said to himself.
"Hitherto the master has never, since I first knew him, given any
commands to me, as to what was to be done in case he were captured
or killed. It seems to me that the danger here is as nothing to
that he has often run before, and yet he must have some sort of
foreboding of evil. If I were not a Huguenot, I would vow a score
of pounds of candles, to be burnt at the shrine of the Holy Virgin,
if the master gets safe out of yonder town."
Philip rode on across the bridge, and entered the gates without
question. Up to this time, his followers had kept close behind him;
but now, in accordance with his instructions, they dropped behind.
He continued his way to the principal square, rode up to an inn,
entered the courtyard, and gave his horse to the stableman.
"Give it a feed," he said, "and put it in the stable. I shall not
require it until the afternoon."
Then he went into the public room, called for food and wine, and
sat down. The tables were well nigh full, for there were many
strangers in the town. After a first glance at the newcomer, none
paid him any attention. Pierre and the two men had, in accordance
with his instructions, passed the inn they had seen him enter, and
put up at other places.
There was a loud buzz of conversation, and Philip listened
attentively to that between four gentlemen who had just sat down at
the next table to him. Three of them had come in together, and the
fourth joined them, just as Philip's meal was brought to him.
"Well, have you heard any news at the governor's, Maignan?" one of
them asked the last comer.
"Bad news. Conde and the Admiral are not letting the grass grow
under their feet. They have captured not only Niort, as we heard
yesterday, but Parthenay."
"Peste! That is bad news, indeed. What a blunder it was to let them
slip through their fingers, when they might have seized them with
two or three hundred men, in Burgundy."
"It seems to me that they are making just the same mistake here,"
another put in. "As Jeanne of Navarre is well nigh as dangerous as
the Admiral himself, why don't they seize her and her cub, and
carry them to Paris?"
"Because they hope that she will go willingly, of her own accord,
Saint Amand. La Motte-Fenelon has been negotiating with her, for
the last fortnight, on behalf of the court. It is clearly far
better that she should go there of her own will, than that she
should be taken there a prisoner. Her doing so would seem a
desertion of the Huguenot cause, and would be a tremendous blow to
them.
"On the other hand, if she were taken there as a prisoner, it would
drive many a Huguenot to take up arms who is now content to rest
quiet. And moreover, the Protestant princes of Germany, and
Elizabeth of England would protest; for whatever the court may say
of the Admiral, they can hardly affirm that Jeanne of Navarre is
thinking of making war against Charles for any other reason than
the defence of her faith. Besides, she can do no harm at Nerac; and
we can always lay hands on her, when we like. At any rate, there is
no fear of her getting farther north. The rivers are too well
guarded for that."
"I don't know," another said, "after the way in which Conde and the
Admiral, though hampered with women and children, made their way
across France, I should never be surprised at anything. You see,
there is not a place where she has not friends. These pestilent
Huguenots are everywhere. She will get warning of danger, and
guides across the country--peasants who know every byroad through
the fields, and every shallow in the rivers. It would be far better
to make sure of her and her son, by seizing them at Nerac."
"Besides," Saint Amand said, "there are reports of movements of
Huguenots all over Guyenne; and I heard a rumour, last night, that
the Seneschal of Armagnac has got a considerable gathering
together. These Huguenots seem to spring out of the ground. Six
weeks ago, no one believed that there was a corner of France where
they could gather a hundred men together, and now they are
everywhere in arms."
"I think," Maignan said, "that you need not be uneasy about the
Queen of Navarre. I am not at liberty to say what I have heard; but
I fancy that, before many hours, she will be on her way to Paris,
willingly or unwillingly. As for the seneschal, he and the others
will be hunted down, as soon as this matter is settled. A day or
two, sooner or later, will make no difference there and, until the
queen is taken, the troops will have to stay in their present
stations.
"My only fear is that, seeing she can have no hope of making her
way north, she will slip away back to Navarre again. Once there,
she could not be taken without a deal of trouble. Whatever is to be
done must be done promptly. Without direct orders from the court,
no step can be taken in so important a matter. But the orders may
arrive any hour, and I think you will see that there will be no
loss of time in executing them."
"And Nerac could not stand a long siege, even if it were strongly
garrisoned; and the handful of men she has got with her could not
defend the walls for an hour. I hope she may not take the alarm too
soon; for as you say, once back in Navarre it would be difficult,
indeed, to take her. It is no joke hunting a bear among the
mountains; and as her people are devoted to her, she could play
hide and seek among the valleys and hills for weeks--ay, or
months--before she could be laid hold of.
"It is well for our cause, Maignan, that she is not a man. She
would be as formidable a foe as the Admiral himself. Huguenot as
she is, one can't help respecting her. Her husband was a poor
creature, beside her. He was ready to swallow any bait offered him;
while, even if it would seat her son on the throne of France, she
would not stir a hand's breadth from what she thinks right."
Philip finished his meal, and then went out into the square. The
news was satisfactory. No order had yet arrived for the seizure of
the queen; and though one was evidently looked for, to arrive in
the course of a few hours, it would then be too late to take any
steps until nightfall, at the earliest; and by nine o'clock the
queen would have left Nerac.
No movement was intended at present against the seneschal, nor did
the idea that the queen might attempt to join him seem to be
entertained. It was possible, however, that such a suspicion might
have occurred to the governor, and that some troops might secretly
be sent off, later. He must try to learn something more.
Confident that he could not be suspected of being ought but what he
appeared, a Catholic gentleman--for his garments were of much
brighter hue than those affected by the Huguenots--he strolled
quietly along, pausing and looking into shops when he happened to
pass near groups of soldiers or gentlemen talking together. So he
spent two or three hours. No word had reached his ear indicating
that any of the speakers were anticipating a sudden call to horse.
He saw that Pierre was following him, keeping at some distance
away, and pausing whenever he paused. He saw no signs of the other
two men, and doubted not that they were, as he had ordered,
spending their time in wine shops frequented by the soldiers, and
listening to their talk.
Feeling convinced that no orders had been given for the assembly of
any body of troops, he sat down for a time at a small table in
front of one of the principal wine shops, and called for a bottle
of the best wine; thinking that the fact that he was alone would be
less noticeable, so, than if he continued to walk the streets.
Presently a party of four or five gentlemen sat down at a table a
short distance off. He did not particularly notice them at first;
but presently, glancing that way, saw one of them looking hard at
him, and a thrill of dismay ran through him, as he recognized the
gentleman addressed as Raoul, the leader of the party that had
stopped him near Bazas. He had, however, presence of mind enough to
look indifferently at him, and then to continue sipping his wine.
The possibility that this gentleman, with his troop, should have
come to Agen had never entered his mind; and though the encounter
was a most unfortunate one, he trusted that the complete change in
his appearance would be sufficient to prevent recognition; although
it was evident, by the gaze fixed on him, that the gentleman had an
idea that his face was familiar. To move now would heighten
suspicion, if any existed; and he therefore sat quiet, watching the
people who passed in front of him, and revolving in his mind the
best course to be taken, should Raoul address him. The latter had
just spoken to his cousin, who was sitting next to him.
"Do you know that young gentleman, Louis?" he asked. "I seem to
know his face well; and yet he does not know me, for he just now
glanced at me, without recognizing me. You know most of the gentry
in this neighbourhood. Do you know him?"
"No, I cannot say that I do, Raoul; though I, too, seem to have a
recollection of his face. It is a sort of face one remembers, too.
I should think his family must belong to the north, for you do not
often see men of that complexion about here. He looks very young,
not above nineteen or twenty; but there is a look of earnestness
and resolution, about his face, that would point to his being some
years older."
Dismissing the matter from his mind, Raoul joined in the
conversation round him. Presently he grasped his cousin's arm.
"I know where we saw the face now, Louis. He was one of the four
fellows we stopped, two days since, near Bazas."
"Impossible, Raoul! Those men were peasants, though two of them had
served for a time in the army; the others--" and he stopped.
"You see it yourself, Louis. One of the others was a dark, active
man. The other was but a lad--a tall, well-built young fellow, with
fair complexion and gray eyes. I thought of it afterwards, and
wondered where he got that skin and hair from. I put it down that
it was a trace of English blood, of which there is a good deal
still left in Guyenne, and some of the other provinces they held,
long ago."
"I certainly see the likeness, now you mention it, Raoul; but it
can hardly be the same. This is a gentleman. He is certainly that,
whoever he may be. How could a gentleman be masquerading about as a
peasant?"
"That is what I am going to find out, Louis. He may have been a
Huguenot, making his way down to join the Queen of Navarre at Nerac
He may be one of her train there, who had gone out, in disguise, to
reconnoitre the country and see what forces of ours were in the
neighbourhood, and where posted. That may be his mission, here; but
this time he has chosen to come in his proper attire."
"That can hardly be his attire, if he is one of Jeanne of Navarre's
followers. He may have got a suit for the purpose, but assuredly
the colours are too gay for a Huguenot in her train. For my part, I
see nothing suspicious about his appearance. There, he is paying
his reckoning, and going."
"And I am going after him," Raoul said, rising. "There is something
strange about the affair, and there may be some plot. Do you come
with me, Louis.
"Monsieur D'Estanges, I have a little matter of business on hand.
Will you come with me?"