on on three sides by thick woods, stood a grey
mansion, with the corner tourelles, steep, high roofs, and round
balconies, that men loved and built in the days of the first Francis.

It was of good size, but wore a gloomy aspect. A great yew hedge, which
seemed to enclose a walk or bowling-green, hid the ground floor of the
east wing from view, while a formal rose garden, stiff even in neglect,
lay in front of the main building. The west wing, of which the lower
roofs fell gradually away to the woods, probably contained the stables
and granaries.

I stood a moment only, but I marked all, and noted how the road reached
the house, and which windows were open to attack; then I turned and
hastened back. Fortunately, I met no one between the house and the
village, and was able to enter my host's with an air of the most
complete innocence.

Short as had been my absence, however, I found things altered there.
Round the door lounged three strangers--stout, well-armed fellows, whose
bearing, as they loitered and chattered, suggested a curious mixture of
smugness and independence. Half a dozen pack-horses stood tethered to
the post in front of the house; and the landlord's manner, from being
rude and churlish only, had grown perplexed and almost timid. One of
the strangers, I soon found, supplied him with wine; the others were
travelling merchants, who rode in the first one's company for the sake
of safety. All were substantial men from Tarbes--solid burgesses; and
I was not long in guessing that my host, fearing what might leak out
before them, and, particularly, that I might refer to the previous
night's disturbance, was on tenter-hooks while they remained.

For a time this did not suggest anything to me. But when we had all
taken our seats for supper, there came an addition to the party. The
door opened, and the fellow whom I had seen the night before with Madame
de Cocheforet entered and took a stool by the fire. I felt sure that
he was one of the servants at the Chateau; and in a flash his presence
inspired me with the most feasible plan for obtaining admission which
I had yet hit upon. I felt myself grow hot at the thought--it seemed so
full of promise, yet so doubtful--and, on the instant, without giving
myself time to think too much, I began to carry it into effect.

I called for two or three bottles of better wine, and, assuming a jovial
air, passed it round the table. When we had drunk a few glasses I fell
to talki