r for a moment and
said: "Is the lady you are with really Mademoiselle de Verneuil?"

Francine stood with hanging arms, her eyelids lowered, her head bowed,
pale and speechless.

"She is a strumpet!" cried Marche-a-Terre, in a terrifying voice.

At the word the pretty hand once more covered his lips, but this time he
sprang back violently. The girl no longer saw a lover; he had turned
to a wild beast in all the fury of its nature. His eyebrows were drawn
together, his lips drew apart, and he showed his teeth like a dog which
defends its master.

"I left you pure, and I find you muck. Ha! why did I ever leave you! You
are here to betray us; to deliver up the Gars!"

These sentences sounded more like roars than words. Though Francine
was frightened, she raised her angelic eyes at this last accusation and
answered calmly, as she looked into his savage face: "I will pledge my
eternal safety that that is false. That's an idea of the lady you are
serving."

He lowered his head; then she took his hand and nestling to him with a
pretty movement said: "Pierre, what is all this to you and me? I don't
know what you understand about it, but I can't make it out. Recollect
one thing: that noble and beautiful young lady has been my benefactress;
she is also yours--we live together like two sisters. No harm must ever
come to her where we are, you and I--in our lifetime at least. Swear it!
I trust no one here but you."

"I don't command here," said the Chouan, in a surly tone.

His face darkened. She caught his long ears and twisted them gently as
if playing with a cat.

"At least," she said, seeing that he looked less stern, "promise me to
use all the power you have to protect our benefactress."

He shook his head as if he doubted of success, and the motion made her
tremble. At this critical moment the escort was entering the courtyard.
The tread of the soldiers and the rattle of their weapons awoke the
echoes and seemed to put an end to Marche-a-Terre's indecision.

"Perhaps I can save her," he said, "if you make her stay in the house.
And mind," he added, "whatever happens, you must stay with her and keep
silence; if not, no safety."

"I promise it," she replied in terror.

"Very good; then go in--go in at once, and hide your fears from every
one, even your mistress."

"Yes."

She pressed his hand; he stood for a moment watching her with an almost
paternal air as she ran with the lightness of a bird up the portico;