, and Babet Blais,
--poor Babet! but her boy, _his_ boy, his own son, has paid him
down with sorrow, _he_ has punished him;--ha! ha!" and both she
and her Gorgon-like guest laughed a meaning and triumphant laugh,
whilst Amanda yet stood there to be baited by the brutish man and
the lost, revengeful woman, the latter of whom thus continued to
vent her spleen: "Mistress, what are you but an English interloper?
Girl, how can we endure you? Do you not despise us? Do you not
insult, despoil, dishonor us? Do you not covet our lands, do you
not reap the taxes, take the trade? Would you not all be Seigneurs?
What shall we give you that you have not already taken! Ah, out
upon you, my young mistress! Think it well if you should not receive
what I shall not now name to you,--your guardian's gift to many a
maiden--and worse;" she added between her teeth; "death, death,"
and turned away scowling.

"Return me to my home, or worse than death awaits you;" cried
Amanda; "endless infamy; hated of our race, despised of yours,
disowned by both."

But the woman by this time had begun to busy herself in piling new
logs upon the fire, and the colossus, her companion, after having
scanned the apartment, seemingly to ascertain whether it was to be
trusted to retain the prisoner, at length, satisfied with the result
of his scrutiny, unlocked the door with the key which he drew from
his pocket, and bestowing a bow of mock respect upon Amanda, who
affected not to perceive it, departed; and she, without vouchsafing
a look upon her feminine but callous jailor, sank upon a chair in
silence.

CHAPTER XII.

"Ring the alarm bell."

_Macbeth._

The abductors of Amanda were no other than the three sons of Andre
Duchatel, along with the vindictive Narcisse acting as their guide.
He and Alphonse Duchatel, at the branching of the road, had parted
company with the others, and so drawn upon themselves the pursuer,
Claude Montigny, who being magnificently mounted gained fast upon
them, till fearing to be overtaken they leaped from their horses,
and taking to their heels concealed themselves amongst the trees
that covered the side of the mountain, and where no rider could
follow. Claude then saw that he had been the dupe of a stratagem;
and after galloping across the country, struck the road that he
had been decoyed from following; then urging his horse in the
direction which he supposed the principal abductors had pursued,
he at length i