inging more men. Henri gave him his hand. They went on till they
came to the Garonne; this they also passed, and about half a league on
the other side, three hundred cavaliers, hidden in a pine forest,
suddenly came in sight.

"Oh! monseigneur," said Chicot, "are not these enemies who have heard of
your chase, and wish to oppose it?"

"No, my son, you are wrong; they are friends from Puzmirol."

"Mordieu! sire, you will have more men in your escort than trees in your
forest."

"Chicot, I really believe the news of your arrival must have spread
through the country, and all these people have come to welcome the
ambassador from France."

Chicot saw he was being laughed at, and felt rather offended.

The day finished at Muroy, where the gentlemen of the country gave a
grand supper to the king, of which Chicot took his part
enthusiastically, as it had not been deemed necessary to stop on the
road for anything so unimportant as dinner, and he had eaten nothing
since he had left Nerac.

Henri had the best house in the town, half the troop slept within doors,
the other half in the street where the king was.

"When are we to begin the hunt?" asked Chicot of Henri, as he was
undressing.

"We are not yet in the territory of the wolves, my dear Chicot."

"And when shall we be?"

"Curious!"

"Not so, sire; but you understand, one likes to know where one is
going."

"You will know to-morrow; meanwhile, lie down there on those cushions
on my left; here is Mornay snoring already at my right."

"Peste!" said Chicot, "he makes more noise asleep than awake."

"It is true he is not very talkative; but see him at the chase."

Day had partly appeared, when a great noise of horses awoke Chicot. They
dressed, drank some spiced wine, and took other refreshment, and then
Henri cried:

"To horse! gentlemen, we have a long day's work before us."

Chicot saw with astonishment that five hundred cavaliers had swelled the
train during the night.

"Sire!" cried he, "you have an army."

"Wait!" replied Henri.

At Lauzerte, six hundred more men came and ranged themselves behind the
cavaliers.

"Foot soldiers!" cried Chicot.

"Nothing but beaters," said the king.

Chicot frowned and spoke no more.

Twenty times his eyes turned toward the country, and the idea of flight
presented itself to him. But Chicot had his guard of honor, doubtless as
ambassador of the king of France, and so well was he recommended to this
guard, t