e Countess's virtue, when a voice at my side broke in upon my
satisfaction. I had so closely kept my attention upon the Count that I
had not observed Captain Ferragant come down the stairs. It was he that
now spoke, in his cool, quiet, scoffing tone:

"Perhaps the Countess had less faith in this gentleman's power to convey
her safely away than he seems to have had himself. Perhaps she saw a
less promising future for a renegade wife than he could picture to her.
Perhaps she, too, perceived the value of her refusal to run away, as
evidence of virtue in the eyes of a credulous husband."

The Count's forehead clouded again. I turned indignantly upon the
Captain, but addressed my words to the Count, saying:

"Monsieur, you will pardon me, but it seems to a stranger that you allow
this gentleman great liberties of speech. Men of honour do not, as a
rule, even permit their friends to defame their wives."

"This gentleman is in my confidence," said the Count, his grey face
reddening for a moment. "It is you, a stranger as you say, who have
taken great liberties in speaking of my domestic affairs. But you shall
pay for them, young gentleman. Your youth makes your presumption all the
greater, and shall not make your punishment the less. I will trouble
you, Captain, to see that he stays here till I return."

At this the Count, motioning his attendants to follow, who had stood out
of earshot of our lowered voices, passed on to the court-yard, and
thence, of course, to the prison of the Countess.

The Captain stood looking at me with that expression of antipathy and
ridicule which I always found it so hard to brook. I had some thought of
defying the Count's last words and walking away to see what the Captain
would do. But I reflected that this course must end in my taking down,
unless I made good a sudden flight from the chateau by the gate; and if
I made that I should be fleeing from the Countess. So the best thing was
to be submissive, and not bring matters, as between the Count and me, to
a crisis. Perhaps a way to help the Countess might yet occur, if I
stayed upon the scene to avail myself of it. And in any case by
continuing there in as much freedom as the Count might choose to allow
me, I might have at least the chance of another sight of her.

So, while we waited half an hour or so in the hall, I gave the Captain
no trouble, not even that of speech, which he disdained to take on his
own initiative.

The Count returne