it were not difficult to answer me as sharply. But we
are keeping these gentlemen from declaring the purpose of their
journey hither."

The Lord James waited for no further invitation.

"I come," he said boldly, holding a parchment in his hand, the same he
had received from the Lady Sybilla, "to denounce Gilles de Retz and to
accuse him of many cruel and unrighteous acts such as have never been
done in any kingdom. I accuse him of the murder of over four hundred
children of all ages and both sexes in circumstances of unparalleled
barbarity. I am ready to lead you to the places where lie their
bodies, some of them burned and their ashes cast into the ditch,
others charred and thrown into unused towers. I have here names,
instances, evidence enough to taint and condemn a hundred monsters
such as Gilles de Retz."

"Ah, give me the paper," came the raucous voice of the President of
Brittany, as he reached a bony hand over his master's shoulder to
seize it.

The Lord James advanced, and giving it to him said, "Messire, I would
have you know that a copy of this is already in the hands of a trusty
person in each of the towns and villages which are named here, and
from which children have been led to cruel death by him whom I have
accused, Gilles de Retz, Marshal of France."

The President of Brittany nodded as he almost snatched the paper in
his eagerness to peruse it.

"The point is cleverly taken," he said, "as justly indeed as if you
knew my Lord of Brittany as well as, for instance, I know him."

The Duke was obviously discomfited. He shuffled his feet more than
ever on the dais and combed his straggling fair beard with soft,
white, tapering fingers.

"This is wild and wholly absurd," he said, without however looking at
James Douglas; "our cousin Gilles is in ill odour with the commonalty.
He is a philosopher and makes smells with bottles. But there is
neither harm nor witchcraft in it. He is only trying to discover the
elixir of life. So the silly folk think him a wizard. I know him
better. He is a brave soldier and my good cousin. I will not have him
molested."

"My lord speaks of kinship," grated the voice of Pierre de l'Hopital.
"Here are the names of four hundred fathers and mothers who have also
a claim to be heard on that subject, and whose voices, if I judge
right, are being heard at this moment around the Castles of Machecoul,
Tiffauges, Champtoce, and Pouzages. I wot there is now a crowd of a
thousan