s duenna, were
disposed to make the most of our liberty; and to celebrate the peace in
our own fashion.

We were country-folk. Not one of us had been to Pau, much less to
Paris. The Vicomte held stricter views than were common then, upon
young people's education; and though we had learned to ride and shoot,
to use our swords and toss a hawk, and to read and write, we knew
little more than Catherine herself of the world; little more of the
pleasures and sins of court life, and not one-tenth as much as she did
of its graces. Still she had taught us to dance and make a bow. Her
presence had softened our manners; and of late we had gained something
from the frank companionship of Louis de Pavannes, a Huguenot whom the
Vicomte had taken prisoner at Moncontour and held to ransom. We were
not, I think, mere clownish yokels.

But we were shy. We disliked and shunned strangers. And when old Gil
appeared suddenly, while we were still chewing the melancholy cud of
Kit's announcement, and cried sepulchrally, "M. le Vidame de Bezers to
pay his respects to Mademoiselle!"--Well, there was something like a
panic, I confess!

We scrambled to our feet, muttering, "The Wolf!" The entrance at
Caylus is by a ramp rising from the gateway to the level of the
terrace. This sunken way is fenced by low walls so that one may
not--when walking on the terrace--fall into it. Gil had spoken before
his head had well risen to view, and this gave us a moment, just a
moment. Croisette made a rush for the doorway into the house; but
failed to gain it, and drew himself up behind a buttress of the tower,
his finger on his lip. I am slow sometimes, and Marie waited for me,
so that we had barely got to our legs--looking, I dare say, awkward and
ungainly enough--before the Vidame's shadow fell darkly on the ground
at Catherine's feet.

"Mademoiselle!" he said, advancing to her through the sunshine, and
bending over her slender hand with a magnificent grace that was born of
his size and manner combined, "I rode in late last night from Toulouse;
and I go to-morrow to Paris. I have but rested and washed off the
stains of travel that I may lay my--ah!"

He seemed to see us for the first time and negligently broke off in his
compliment; raising himself and saluting us. "Ah," he continued
indolently, "two of the maidens of Caylus, I see. With an odd pair of
hands apiece, unless I am mistaken, Why do you not set them spinning,
Mademoiselle?" a