ew, Monsieur Ange, with my compliments, to
come down and speak to me. Tell him I want to see his pretty wife, and
to congratulate him on his marriage. Tell him to bring a sword, if he
knows how to use one, and to revenge his uncle."

There was a dead pause. The two Joubards and the servants, all together
in that upper room, looked strangely at each other.

"Tiens, Maitre Joubard, let me come to the window and I'll shoot that
man dead!" groaned Tobie in the background.

"No, you fool, Tobie," Joubard said angrily. "Do you want us all to be
massacred? Anyhow, let us first know what he means."

"I wonder where the master is!" said Gigot, and his teeth chattered.

"He has killed him," Martin whispered, looking at his father.

"This will be the ruin of us all," said old Joubard aside to him. "You,
at least, keep out of the way. Those men have carbines. You have not
come home from Spain to be shot by mistake for a Chouan. I will try to
speak civilly. Monsieur le General," he said, leaning out of the window,
"your worship is mistaken. There are no Chouans here, and no ladies. And
Monsieur Angelot is not here. Only we, a few harmless servants and
neighbours, taking care of the house, left in charge while Monsieur de
la Mariniere went to speak to you, waiting till he comes back. We can do
nothing without his orders, Monsieur le General."

"Then you will do nothing till doomsday," said Ratoneau. "Don't you
understand that he is dead, old fool, whoever you may be?"

"Dead! Impossible!" old Joubard stammered. "Monsieur Joseph
dead--murdered! And the gendarmes on your side, monsieur! Why, he was
here giving us our orders, a quarter of an hour ago."

In the horrified look he turned on Martin, there was yet the shadow of a
smile. For Martin's eager persuasions had sent Helene and Riette away
with Marie Gigot through the woods to La Mariniere, almost before
Monsieur Joseph's appointed time.

Joubard leaned again out of the window, his rugged face in the full
light of the morning.

"This is a bad business, Monsieur le General," he said. "If it is true
that you have killed Monsieur Joseph, you have done enough for one day.
Take my advice, draw your men off and go away. Justice will follow you;
and you have no right here. I am not a Chouan. I am Joubard, of La
Joubardiere, Monsieur Urbain de la Mariniere's best tenant, and my only
son lost his limbs fighting for the Emperor."

Simon drew near, with his bandaged head, and look