for I knew the implacability of this man, and my death
meant the death of the Countess,--death in the dark, mouldy basement of
the tower, death by stifling and starvation while she waited in vain for
me, a slow and solitary death, rendered the more agonizing to her mind
by suspense and fears. And this horrible fate must needs be hers just
when the cause of her sorrows and dangers had been removed! It was a
thought not to be endured.

"You will have your jest," said I. "But I see no reason why you should
bear me malice. The Count de Lavardin is now a dead man, I hear. I can
no longer be against him, nor you for him. Therefore bygones should be
bygones, and I suppose you will make terms with me as with any other man
who happened to come before you as I do."

"You do me an injustice, young gentleman: I am not so mercenary,--I do
not always make terms. It is true, I served the Count for pay; that is
what my company is for, and if he had not gone out of his chateau to
hunt his wife, we might have defended the place till the enemy was tired
out. But he allowed himself to be caught in the road,--you have heard
the news, then? What do they say of me?"

"That when you saw the Count was killed, you ran away."

"Yes, I was of no use to the Count then, and his own men in the chateau
were not well inclined toward me. They were for giving up the place, the
moment he was dead. I thought best to save my good fellows for better
service elsewhere."

"Then your company and the band of robbers in this forest are the same?"

"If you call them robbers,--they forage when there is need. I did not
have them all at the chateau. The good fellows who brought you here were
not at Lavardin with me. It is well, when one is in a place, to have
resources outside. And so we meet again, my young interloper! You were
rude to me once or twice at Lavardin. I shall pay you for that, and
settle scores on behalf of my friend the Count as well."

"How much ransom do you want?" I asked bluntly. "Name a sum within
possibility, and let me go for it immediately: you know well you can
rely upon my honour to deliver it promptly at any place safe for both of
us, and to keep all a secret."

"Do not insult me again. I have told you I am above purchase."

Despite his jesting tone, my hope began to fall.

"You are not above prudence, at least," I said. "I assure you there are
people who will move earth and heaven to find what has become of me, and
whose powers