he was forced to accede to.

Henri wished to warn Remy to be on his guard, but it was impossible; all
he could do was to say to the ensign:

"Watch well over the powder; watch it as I would myself, will you not?"

"Yes, M. le Comte," replied the young man.

On the way the duke said to Du Bouchage, "Where is this powder that you
speak of?"

"In the house we have just left, your highness."

"Oh! be easy, then, Du Bouchage; I know too well the importance of such
an article, in our situation, to neglect it. I will watch over it
myself."

They said no more until they arrived, when the duke, after giving Henri
many charges not to quit his post, returned. He found Aurilly wrapped in
an officer's cloak, sleeping on one of the seats in the dining-room. The
duke woke him. "Come," said he.

"Yes, monseigneur."

"Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes! the unknown lady--the relation of M. du Bouchage."

"Good; I see that the faro of Brussels and the beer of Louvain have not
clouded your intellects."

"Oh! no, monseigneur, I am more ingenious than ever."

"Then call up all your imagination, and guess."

"Well! I guess that your highness is envious."

"Ah! parbleu, I always am; but what is it about just now?"

"You wish to know who is the brave creature who has followed the MM. de
Joyeuse through fire and water?"

"You have just hit it, 'per mille pericula Martis!' as Margot would say.
Apropos, have you written to her, Aurilly?"

"To whom, monseigneur?"

"To my sister Margot."

"Had I to write to her?"

"Certainly."

"About what?"

"To tell her that we are beaten--ruined, and that she must look out for
herself; for that Spain, disembarrassed of me in the north, will fall on
her in the south."

"Ah! true."

"You have not written?"

"No, monseigneur."

"You slept?"

"Yes, I confess it; but even if I had thought of it, with what could I
have written? I have here neither pen, paper, nor ink."

"Well, seek. 'Quare et invenies,' as it is written."

"How in the devil's name am I to find it in the hut of a peasant, who
probably did not know how to write?"

"Seek, stupid! if you do not find that, you will find--"

"What?"

"Something else."

"Oh! fool that I was," cried Aurilly. "Your highness is right: I am
stupid; but I am very sleepy, you see."

"Well, keep awake for a little while, and, since you have not written, I
will write; only go and seek what is necessary. Go, Aurilly, and do not
come bac