s.

He heard the footsteps of the gardener as he hastened to open it, heard
the gate turn upon its hinges, then the measured tramp of soldiers in
the court-yard.

A loud voice commanded:

"Halt!"

The priest looked at Maurice and saw that he was as pale as death.

"Be calm," he entreated; "do not be alarmed. Do not lose your
self-possession--and do not forget my instructions."

"Let them come," replied Maurice. "I am prepared!"

The drawing-room door was flung violently open, and a young man,
wearing the uniform of a captain of grenadiers, entered. He was scarcely
twenty-five years of age, tall, fair-haired, with blue eyes and little
waxed mustache. His whole person betokened an excessive elegance
exaggerated to the verge of the ridiculous. His face ordinarily must
have indicated extreme self-complacency; but at the present moment it
wore a really ferocious expression.

Behind him, in the passage, were a number of armed soldiers.

He cast a suspicious glance around the room, then, in a harsh voice:

"Who is the master of this house?" he demanded.

"The Baron d'Escorval, my father, who is absent," replied Maurice.

"Where is he?"

The abbe, who, until now, had remained seated, rose.

"On hearing of the unfortunate outbreak of this evening," he replied,
"the baron and myself went to these peasants, in the hope of inducing
them to relinquish their foolish undertaking. They would not listen to
us. In the confusion that ensued, I became separated from the baron; I
returned here very anxious, and am now awaiting his return."

The captain twisted his mustache with a sneering air.

"Not a bad invention!" said he. "Only I do not believe a word of this
fiction."

A light gleamed in the eyes of the priest, his lips trembled, but he
held his peace.

"Who are you?" rudely demanded the officer.

"I am the cure of Sairmeuse."

"Honest men ought to be in bed at this hour. And you are racing about
the country after rebellious peasants. Really, I do not know what
prevents me from ordering your arrest."

That which did prevent him was the priestly robe, all powerful under the
Restoration. With Maurice he was more at ease.

"How many are there in this family?"

"Three; my father, my mother--ill at this moment--and myself."

"And how many servants?"

"Seven--four men and three women."

"You have neither received nor concealed anyone this evening?"

"No one."

"It will be necessary to prove this," said th