aid Corentin, sharply, "that the only way to serve
France is with bayonets?"

Then he turned his back to the laughers, and asked a woman beside him if
she knew the object of the expedition.

"Hey! my good man, the Chouans are at Florigny. They say there are more
than three thousand, and they are coming to take Fougeres."

"Florigny?" cried Corentin, turning white; "then the rendezvous is not
there! Is Florigny on the road to Mayenne?" he asked.

"There are not two Florignys," replied the woman, pointing in the
direction of the summit of La Pelerine.

"Are you going in search of the Marquis de Montauran?" said Corentin to
Hulot.

"Perhaps I am," answered the commandant, curtly.

"He is not at Florigny," said Corentin. "Send your troops there by all
means; but keep a few of those imitation Chouans of yours with you, and
wait for me."

"He is too malignant not to know what he's about," thought Hulot as
Corentin made off rapidly, "he's the king of spies."

Hulot ordered the battalion to start. The republican soldiers marched
without drums and silently through the narrow suburb which led to the
Mayenne high-road, forming a blue and red line among the trees and
houses. The disguised guard followed them; but Hulot, detaining Gudin
and about a score of the smartest young fellows of the town, remained in
the little square, awaiting Corentin, whose mysterious manner had piqued
his curiosity. Francine herself told the astute spy, whose suspicions
she changed into certainty, of her mistress's departure. Inquiring of
the post guard at the Porte Saint-Leonard, he learned that Mademoiselle
de Verneuil had passed that way. Rushing to the Promenade, he was,
unfortunately, in time to see her movements. Though she was wearing a
green dress and hood, to be less easily distinguished, the rapidity
of her almost distracted step enabled him to follow her with his eye
through the leafless hedges, and to guess the point towards which she
was hurrying.

"Ha!" he cried, "you said you were going to Florigny, but you are in
the valley of Gibarry! I am a fool, she has tricked me! No matter, I can
light my lamp by day as well as by night."

Corentin, satisfied that he knew the place of the lovers' rendezvous,
returned in all haste to the little square, which Hulot, resolved not to
wait any longer, was just quitting to rejoin his troops.

"Halt, general!" he cried to the commandant, who turned round.

He then told Hulot the events relat