d represented to me as eating her heart out; and though as kind,
as tender to me as ever, she rather avoided private conversations with
me--for which I was glad.

Gaston seemed to me to become more like the Gaston of old than he had
been, but my heart did not warm to him, nor could I forget that
incident of his killing the wild boar. He made no allusion to this
whatever, and continued to use his left arm only. I would have given
much to know what he supposed we thought of it.

Of course, the play was high, on the nights when there were cards, and
Count Saxe enriched several of his guests by his losses. He lost
magnificently, and won with the greatest modesty.

During this fortnight the consumption of victuals, wine and horse feed
was something stupendous, but my master never grumbled about the
charges. Luckily, he had Beauvais to look after the wine and victual,
and myself to look after the horse feed.

At last came the day of departure. The servants and baggage wagons
were sent on some hours in advance and at nine o'clock in the morning
the company all set out together for Blois, where they were to
disperse. Gaston Cheverny rode with the gentlemen, and Francezka
traveled alone in her coach. She bade me an affectionate good by and
begged me to come with Count Saxe to the chateau of Capello, in the
spring. Apparently she was happy and composed, but I knew she was
neither. There was a searching and anxious expression in her eyes
which, in spite of her smiles and gaiety, showed me a heart disturbed.
That night every soul in the castle was in bed a little after nine
o'clock, and I think we all slept a week.

CHAPTER XXXI

THE BITTERNESS OF DOUBT

My master went to Paris for Christmas, to our old lodging at the
Luxembourg. The king was very anxious for Count Saxe to be permanently
lodged at Versailles, but my master, by a variety of clever
subterfuges, declined to exchange his splendid and spacious apartments
at the Luxembourg, for the dog-hole which was all they had to offer
him at Versailles. Two thousand persons were lodged in the palace. It
may be imagined what sort of lodging much of it was; mere closets for
ladies of quality, a landing at a stair's head curtained off for
gentlemen. My master was offered a couple of rooms under the roof for
himself, myself and Beauvais. Count Saxe responded that he was not a
snail, and required a lodging somewhat larger than himself. He was
told that a bishop was satisf