eur de Leurre, suspected of
treasonable practices--and it bore the signature of Catherine.

'There is nothing here said of my step-father's son, Philip Thistlewood,
nor of my servant, Humfrey Holt,' said Berenger, gathering the sense
with his dizzy eyes as best he could. 'They cannot be detained, being
born subjects of the Queen of England.

'They intercepted the justice of the King,' said the captain, laying
his hand on Philip's shoulder. 'I shall have them off with me to the
garrison of Lugon, and deal with them there.

'Wait!' said the Chevalier, interposing before Berenger's fierce,
horror-struck expostulation could break forth; 'this is an honourable
young gentleman, son of a chevalier of good reputation in England, and
he need not be so harshly dealt with. You will not separate either
him or the poor groom from my nephew, so the Queen's authority be now
rightly acknowledged.

The captain shrugged his shoulders, as if displeased; and the Chevalier,
turning to Berenger, said, 'You understand, nephew, the lot of you all
depends on your not giving umbrage to these officers of her Majesty. I
will do my poor best for you; but submission is first needed.

Berenger knew enough of his native country to be aware that _la justice
du Roi_ was a terrible thing, and that Philip's resistance had really
put him in so much danger that it was needful to be most careful not
further to offend the functionary of Government; and abhorrent as the
proposed search was to him, he made no further objection, but taking
Philip's arm, lest they should be separated, he prepared to follow
wherever he was to be conducted. The Chevalier led the way along a
narrow stone passage, with loophole-windows here and there; and Philip,
for all his proud, indifferent bearing, felt his flesh creep as he
looked for a stair descending into the bowels of the earth. A stair
there was, but it went up instead of down, and after mounting this, and
going through a sort of ante-room, a door was opened into a tolerably
spacious apartment, evidently in the old keep; for the two windows on
opposite sides were in an immensely massive wall, and the floor above
and vaulting below were of stone; but otherwise there was nothing
repulsive in the appearance of the room. There was a wood fire on the
hearth; the sun, setting far to the north, peeped in aslant at one
window; a mat was on the floor, tapestry on the lower part of the walls;
a table and chairs, and a walnut che