ger, rising; 'See, our gendarmes are again
looking as if we had long exceeded their patience. It is an hour later
than we are wont to retire.'

'If it be your desire to consult this mysterious fellow now you have
heard your brother's report, my dear Baron,' said the Chevalier, 'the
gendarmes may devour their impatience a little longer.'

'Thanks, sir,' said Berenger; 'but I am not tempted,' and he gave the
usual signal to the gendarmes, who, during meals, used to stand as
sentries at the great door of the hall.

'It might settle your mind,' muttered Philip, hesitating. 'And
yet--yet---'

But he used no persuasions, and permitted himself to be escorted with
his brother along the passages to their own chamber, where he threw
himself into a chair with a long sigh, and did not speak. Berenger
meantime opened the Bible, glanced over the few verses he meant to read,
found the place in the Prayer-book, and was going to the stairs to call
Humfrey, when Philip broke forth: 'Wait, Berry; don't be in such haste.'

'What, you want time to lose the taste of your dealings with the devil?'
said Berenger, smiling.

'Pshaw! No devil in the matter,' testily said Philip. 'No, I was only
wishing you had not had a Puritan fit, and seen and heard for yourself.
Then I should not have had to tell you,' and he sighed.

'I have no desire to be told,' said Berenger, who had become more fixed
in the conviction that it was an imposture.

'No desire! Ah! I have none when I knew what it was. But you ought to
know.'

'Well,' said Berenger, 'you will burst anon if I open not my ears.'

'Dear Berry, speak not thus. It will be the worse for you when you
do hear. Alack, Berenger, all ours have been vain hopes. I asked for
HER--and the boy fell well-nigh into convulsions of terror as he gazed;
spoke of flames and falling houses. That was wherefore I pressed you not
again--it would have wrung your heart too much. The boy fairly wept and
writhed himself, crying out in his tongue for pity on the fair lady and
the little babe in the burning house. Alack! brother,' said Philip, a
little hurt that his brother had not changed countenance.

'This is the lying tale of the man-at-arms which our own eyes
contradicted,' said Berenger; 'and no doubt was likewise inspired by the
Chevalier.'

'See the boy, brother! How should he have heard the Chevalier? Nay,
you might hug your own belief, but it is hard that we should both be in
durance for your mere drea