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"No, Monsieur, and for a very good reason the Countess's life cannot last forever under this treatment even if the Count, in some wild imagining of her guilt, conjured up by Captain Ferragant, does not murder her. It's that thought which makes me shudder. It could be done so quietly in that lonely cell, and any account of her death could be given out to avoid scandal." "Horrible, Mathilde!
Our party was to go mounted, except the robbers impressed to carry the battering ram: so I went to the stalls at one side of the yard, and found my own horse, chewing hay in fraternal companionship with the animals which had doubtless brought Captain Ferragant and his men from Lavardin. As I led out my horse, I suddenly bethought me of the man for whose life I had promised to speak.
Thus they met him outside his walls: had it been otherwise they would doubtless have had infinite trouble, for, as we know, the chateau has been for some time fully prepared for a siege, even to being garrisoned by the company of Captain Ferragant." "What! then those fellows who thronged the court-yard "
That was the limit to the time given the Countess in which to prove her innocence. She was summoned to the picture gallery by the Count himself, and nobody else was there but Captain Ferragant. The door was closed against me, and what passed between that saint and those two devils I know not; but after a little the door was opened, and there she was, very pale and with her eyes raised in prayer.
"From the day he accused me last Saturday." "And what facilities did he give you for the purpose?" "His men and horses were at my service. He knew, of course, that all I could do was to send for Monsieur de Merri." "But why did he not send for Monsieur de Merri?" "I don't know. I suppose he was ruled by the advice of Captain Ferragant.
Can we not meet again presently?" "I know not," she replied. "Act as you think best, Monsieur. But do not endanger yourself. I must be gone now." She hastened to join the maid, whose whereabouts were indicated by a low cough. I heard voices, and instantly crawled under the rose bushes, heedless of scratches. As the voices came down the walk, one of them turned out to be that of Captain Ferragant.
I had so closely kept my attention upon the Count that I had not observed Captain Ferragant come down the stairs. It was he that now spoke, in his cool, quiet, scoffing tone: "Perhaps the Countess had less faith in this gentleman's power to convey her safely away than he seems to have had himself. Perhaps she saw a less promising future for a renegade wife than he could picture to her.
"And behold here Monsieur the Captain Ferragant, who comes from Burgundy," said the Count, "so that we have North, West, and East all represented." Captain Ferragant bowed as politeness required, but he went no further. He did not seem to relish our being there. His look was rather disdainful, I thought, as if we were nobodies unfit for the honour of his company.
"No; regarding myself and the reason of my coming to Lavardin." "That is interesting. Let us hear." "It is for you alone." "Oh, to be sure. Captain Ferragant, if you will excuse me, " The Captain, with a shrug, swaggered off to the furthest corner of the hall. "You have been acquainted," I began, "with a certain Monsieur de Merri." The Count's face seemed to jump.
In the afternoon, when Brignan de Brignan and his comrades reappeared, the Countess was able to ride: and that evening we were all in Bonneval. Monsieur de Brignan had taken possession of several things found in an iron-bound chest where Captain Ferragant had kept his treasures.
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