Count Hannibal

The women for the most part fell like sacks and slept where they

alighted, dead weary. The men, when they had cared for the horses,

followed the example; for Badelon would suffer no fire. In less than

half an hour, a sentry who stood on guard at the edge of the wood, and

Tignonville and La Tribe, who talked in low voices with their backs

against a tree, were the only persons who remained awake, with the

exception of the Countess. Carlat had made a couch for her, and screened

it with cloaks from the wind and the eye; for the moon had risen and

where the trees stood sparsest its light flooded the soil with pools of

white. But Madame had not yet retired to her bed. The two men, whose

voices reached her, saw her from time to time moving restlessly to and

fro between the road and the little encampment. Presently she came and

stood over them.

"He led His people out of the wilderness," La Tribe was saying; "out of

the trouble of Paris, out of the trouble of Angers, and always, always

southward. If you do not in this, Monsieur, see His finger--"

"And Angers?" Tignonville struck in, with a faint sneer. "Has He led

that out of trouble? A day or two ago you would risk all to save it, my

friend. Now, with your back safely turned on it, you think all for the

best."

"We did our best," the minister answered humbly. "From the day we met in

Paris we have been but instruments."

"To save Angers?"

"To save a remnant."

On a sudden the Countess raised her hand. "Do you not hear horses,

Monsieur?" she cried. She had been listening to the noises of the night,

and had paid little heed to what the two were saying.

"One of ours moved," Tignonville answered listlessly. "Why do you not

lie down, Madame?"

Instead of answering, "Whither is he going?" she asked. "Do you know?"

"I wish I did know," the young man answered peevishly. "To Niort, it may

be. Or presently he will double back and recross the Loire."

"He would have gone by Cholet to Niort," La Tribe said. "The direction

is rather that of Rochelle. God grant we be bound thither!"

"Or to Vrillac," the Countess cried, clasping her hands in the darkness.

"Can it be to Vrillac he is going?"

The minister shook his head.

"Ah, let it be to Vrillac!" she cried, a thrill in her voice. "We should

be safe there. And he would be safe."

"Safe?" echoed a fourth and deeper voice. And out of the darkness beside

them loomed a tall figure.

The minister looked and leapt to his feet. Tignonville rose more slowly.

The voice was Tavannes'. "And where am I to be safe?" he repeated

slowly, a faint ring of saturnine amusement in his tone.