'But who told thee that to talk of my father's books would get him

into trouble?' continued the boy, as they still stood together on

the high heavy wooden chair.

She tossed her pretty head, and pretended to pout.

'Was it Diane? I will know. Didst thou tell Diane?'

Instead of answering, now that his attention to the key was

relaxed, Eustacie made a sudden dart, like a little wild cat, at

the back of the chair and at the key. They chair over-balanced;

Beranger caught at the front drawer of the cabinet, which, unlocked

by Eustacie, came out in his hand, and chair, children, drawer, and

curiosities all went rolling over together on the floor with a

hubbub that brought all the household together, exclaiming and

scolding. Madame de Ribaumont's displeasure at the rifling of her

hoards knew no bounds; Eustacie, by way of defence, shrieked 'like

twenty demons;' Beranger, too honourable to accuse her, underwent

the same tempest; and at last both were soundly rapped over the

knuckles with the long handle of Madame's fan, and consigned to two

separate closets, to be dealt with on the return of M. le Baron,

while Madame returned to her embroidery, lamenting the absence of

that dear little Diane, whose late visit at the chateau had been

marked by such unusual tranquility between the children.

Beranger, in his dark closet, comforted himself with the shrewd

suspicion that his father was so employed as not to be expected at

home till supper-time, and that his mother's wrath was by no means

likely to be so enduring as to lead her to make complaints of the

prisoners; and when he heard a trampling of horses in the court, he

anticipated a speedy release and summons to show himself to the

visitors. He waited long, however, before he heard the pattering

of little feet; then a stool scraped along the floor, the button of

his door was undone, the stool pushed back, and as he emerged,

Eustacie stood before him with her finger to her lip. 'CHUT,

Beranger! It is my father and uncle, and Narcisse, and, oh! so many

gens d'armes. They are come to summon M. le Baron to go with

them to disperse the preche by the Bac de l'Oie. And oh,

Beranger, is he not there?'

'I do not know. He went out with his hawk, and I do not think he

could have gone anywhere else. Did they say so to my mother?'

'Yes; but she never knows. And oh, Beranger, Narcisse told me--ah,

was it to tease me?--that Diane has told them all they wanted to

know, for that they sent her here on purpose to see if we were not

all Huguenots.




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