And where are you going?"

"If you had followed my steps as you have done hitherto, you would have
found that my path did not lead to Clisson."

"Nor to Paris."

"I beg," said De Chanlay, "that you will trust me, and respect my
secret--a secret in which not only my own honor, but that of another, is
concerned. You do not know, perhaps--it may be exaggerated--how extreme
is my delicacy on this point."

"Then it is a love-secret," said Montlouis.----"Yes, and the secret of a
first love," replied Gaston.

"All evasions," cried Pontcalec.

"Marquis!" said Gaston, haughtily.

"This is not saying enough, my friend," replied Du Couedic. "How can we
believe that you are going to a rendezvous in such weather, and that
this rendezvous is not at Clisson--where, except the Augustine Convent,
there is not a single house for two miles around."

"M. de Chanlay," said the Marquis de Pontcalec, in an agitated voice,
"you swore to obey me as your chief, and to devote soul and body to our
holy cause. Monsieur, our undertaking is serious--our property, our
liberties, our lives and our honor are at stake;--will you reply clearly
and freely to the questions which I put to you in the name of all, so as
to remove all doubts? If not, Gaston de Chanlay--by virtue of that right
which you gave me, of your own free will, over your life--if not, I
declare, on my honor, I will blow your brains out with my own hand!"

A solemn silence followed these words; not one voice was raised to
defend Gaston; he looked at each one in turn, and each one turned away
from him.

"Marquis," said the chevalier at length, in a tone of deep feeling, "not
only do you insult me by suspicions, but you grieve me by saying that I
can only remove those suspicions by declaring my secret. Stay," added
he, drawing a pocketbook from his coat, and hastily penciling a few
words on a leaf which he tore out; "stay, here is the secret you wish to
know; I hold it in one hand, and in the other I hold a loaded pistol.
Will you make me reparation for the insult you have offered me? or, in
my turn, I give you my word as a gentleman that I will blow my brains
out. When I am dead, open my hand and read this paper; you will then see
if I deserved your suspicions."

And Gaston held the pistol to his head with the calm resolution which
showed that he would keep his word.

"Gaston! Gaston!" cried Montlouis, while Du Couedic held his arm; "stop,
in Heaven's name! Marquis, he would