'Very likely, the little viper! Le me pass, Eustacie. I must go

and tell my father.'

'Thou canst not get out that way; the court is full of men-at-arms.

Hark, there's Narcisse calling me. He will come after me.'

There was not a moment to lose. Berenger flew along a corridor,

and down a narrow winding stair, and across the kitchen; then

snatching at the arm of a boy of his own age whom he met at the

door, he gasped out, 'Come and help me catch Follet, Landry!' and

still running across an orchard, he pulled down a couple of apples

from the trees, and bounded into a paddock where a small rough

Breton pony was feeding among the little tawny Norman cows. The

animal knew his little master, and trotted towards him at his call

of 'Follet, Follet. Now be a wise Follet, and play me no tricks.

Thou and I, Follet, shall do good service, if thou wilt be steady.'

Follet made his advances, but with a coquettish eye and look, as if

ready to start away at any moment.

'Soh, Follet. I have no bread for thee, only two apples; but,

Follet, listen. There's my beau-pere the Count, and the

Chevalier, all spite, and their whole troop of savage gens

d'armes, come out to fall upon the poor Huguenots, who are doing

no harm at all, only listening to a long dull sermon. And I am

much afraid my father is there, for he went out his hawk on his

wrist, and he never does take Ysonde for any real sport, as thou

and I would do, Follet. He says it is all vanity of vanities. But

thou know'st, if they caught him at the preche they would call it

heresy and treason, and all sorts of horrors, and any way they

would fall like demons on the poor Huguenots, Jacques and all--

thine own Jacques, Follet. Come, be a loyal pony, Follet. Be at

least as good as Eustacie.'

Follet was evidently attentive to this peroration, turning round

his ear in a sensible attitude, and advancing his nose to the

apples. As Beranger held them out to him, the other boy clutched

his shaggy forelock so effectually that the start back did not

shake him off, and the next moment Beranger was on his back.

'And I, Monsieur, what shall I do?'

'Thou, Landry? I know. Speed like a hare, lock the avenue gate,

and hide the key. That will delay them a long time. Off now,

Follet.' Beranger and Follet understood one another far too well to care

about such trifles as saddle and bridle, and off they went through

green grassy balks dividing the fields, or across the stubble,

till, about three miles from the castle, they came to a narrow

valley, dipping so suddenly between the hills that it could hardly

have been suspected by one unaware of its locality, and the sides

were dotted with copsewood, which entirely hid the bottom.

Beranger guided his pony to a winding path that led down the steep

side of the valley, already hearing the cadence of a loud, chanting

voice, throwing out its sounds over the assembly, whence arose

assenting hums over an undercurrent of sobs, as though the

excitable French assembly were strongly affected.




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