emy, still trying to reassure her, said, "I do not think so, madame. As
well as I can judge by the dress, it is some young Walloon soldier going
probably to Amsterdam, and passing by the theater of war to seek
adventures."

"I feel uneasy about him, Remy."

"Reassure yourself, madame, had he been really the Comte du Bouchage, he
would have spoken to us; you know how persevering he was."

"I know also that he was respectful, Remy, or I should never have
troubled myself about him, but simply told you to get rid of him."

"Well, madame, if he be so respectful, you would have no more to fear
from him on this road than in the Rue de Bussy."

"Nevertheless, Remy, let us change our horses here at Mechlin, in order
to get on faster to Antwerp."

"On the contrary, madame, I should say, do not let us enter Mechlin at
all; our horses are good, let us push on to that little village which
is, I think, called Villebrock; in that manner we shall avoid the town,
with its questioners and curious gazers."

"Go on, then, Remy."

They turned to the left, taking a road hardly made, but which visibly
led to Villebrock; Henri also quitted the road, and turned down the
lane, still keeping his distance from them.

Remy's disquietude showed itself in his constantly turning to look
behind him. At last they arrived at Villebrock. Of 200 houses which this
village contained, not one was inhabited; some forgotten dogs and lost
cats ran wildly about the solitude, the former calling for their masters
by long howls. Remy knocked at twenty doors, but found no one. Henri on
his side, who seemed the shadow of the travelers, knocked at the first
house as uselessly as they had done, then, divining that the war was the
cause of this desertion, waited to continue his journey until the
travelers should have decided what to do.

They fed their horses with some corn which they found in an inn, and
then Remy said--

"Madame, we are no longer in a friendly country, nor in an ordinary
situation; we must not expose ourselves uselessly. We shall certainly
fall in with some French, Spanish, or Flemish band, for in the present
state of Flanders, adventures of all kinds must be rife. If you were a
man I should speak differently; but you are a young and beautiful woman,
and would run a double risk for life and honor."

"My life is nothing," said she.

"On the contrary, madame, it is everything. You live for a purpose."

"Well, then, what do you propose? T