uncertainly, and did not speak.

'Well,' I said, 'don't you think that if I pay I ought to give orders,
sir?'

'Who wishes to oppose your orders?' he muttered, drinking off a bumper,
and sitting down with an air of impudent bravado, assumed to hide his
discomfiture.

'If you don't, no one else does,' I answered. So that is settled.
Landlord, some more wine.'

He was very sulky with me for a while, fingering his glass in silence
and scowling at the table. He had enough gentility to feel the
humiliation to which he had exposed himself, and a sufficiency of wit to
understand that that moment's hesitation had cost him the allegiance of
his fellow-ruffians. I hastened, therefore, to set him at his ease by
explaining my plans for the night, and presently succeeded beyond my
hopes; for when he heard who the lady was whom I proposed to carry
off, and that she was lying that evening at the Chateau de Chize, his
surprise swept away the last trace of resentment. He stared at me, as at
a maniac.

'Mon Dieu!' he exclaimed. 'Do you know what you are doing, Sieur?'

'I think so,' I answered.

'Do you know to whom the chateau belongs?'

'To the Vicomte de Turenne.'

'And that Mademoiselle de la Vire is his relation?'

'Yes,' I said.

'Mon Dieu!' he exclaimed again. And he looked at me open-mouthed.

'What is the matter?' I asked, though I had an uneasy consciousness that
I knew--that I knew very well.

'Man, he will crush you as I crush this hat!' he answered in great
excitement. 'As easily. Who do you think will protect you from him in a
private quarrel of this kind? Navarre? France? our good man? Not one
of them. You had better steal the king's crown jewels--he is weak;
or Guise's last plot--he is generous at times, or Navarre's last
sweetheart--he is as easy as an old shoe. You had better have to do with
all these together, I tell you, than touch Turenne's ewe-lambs, unless
your aim be to be broken on the wheel! Mon Dieu, yes!'

'I am much obliged to you for your advice,' I said stiffly, 'but the die
is cast. My mind is made up. On the other hand, if you are afraid, M.
Fresnoy--'

'I am afraid; very much afraid,' he answered frankly.

'Still your name need not be brought into the matter,' I replied, 'I
will take the responsibility. I will let them know my name here at the
inn, where, doubtless, inquiries will be made.'

'To be sure, that is something,' he answered thoughtfully. 'Well, it
is an ugly business, b