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"M. de Chateaurien," said Lady Mary, "we are waiting for you." "Pardon," he replied. "He has something to say; maybe it is bes' if you hear it now." "I wish to hear nothing from him ever!" "My faith, madam," cried the Duke, "this saucy fellow has paid you the last insult! He is so sure of you he does not fear you will believe the truth.
"My little poltroons," she said, "what are you doing with your fellow-craven, Sir Hugh Guilford, there?" "Madam," replied Molyneux humbly, "Sir Hugh's leg is broken. Lady Rellerton graciously permits him to be taken in." "I do not permit it! M. de Chateaurien rides with us." "But " "Sir! Leave the wretch to groan by the roadside," she cried fiercely, "which plight I would were that of all of you!
"Address me no more! M. de Chateaurien, Lady Rellerton and I will greatly esteem the honor of your company. Will you come?" She stepped quickly into the coach, and was gathering her skirts to make room for the Frenchman, when a heavy voice spoke from the shadows of the tree by the wayside. "Lady Mary Carlisle will, no doubt, listen to a word of counsel on this point."
So I make this man help me in a masque, the unmasking it was, for, as there is no one to know me, I throw off my black wig and become myself and so I am 'Chateaurien, Castle Nowhere. Then this man I use', this Winterset, he " "I have great need to deny these accusations?" said the Duke. "Nay," said Lady Mary wearily.
In a few days he had another captain to fight. This was a ruffling buck who had the astounding indiscretion to proclaim M. de Chateaurien an impostor. There was no Chateaurien, he swore. The Frenchman laughed in his face, and, at twilight of the same day, pinked him carefully through the right shoulder. It was not that he could not put aside the insult to himself, he declared to Mr.
"If you had not belief' me to be an impostor; if I had never said I was Chateaurien; if I had been jus' that Monsieur Beaucaire of the story they tol' you, but never with the heart of a lackey, an hones' man, a man, the man you knew, himself, could you would you " He was trying to speak firmly; yet, as he gazed upon her splendid beauty, he choked slightly, and fumbled in the lace at his throat with unsteady fingers.
"Shall I tell you why I mus' be 'Victor' and 'Beaucaire' and 'Chateaurien, and not myself?" "To escape from the bailiffs for debts for razors and soap," gibed Lord Townbrake. "No, monsieur. In France I have got a cousin who is a man with a very bad temper at some time', and he will never enjoy his relatives to do what he does not wish " He was interrupted by a loud commotion from without.
M. de Chateaurien looked him in the eye, and apologized pleasantly for being so much in the way. Thereupon Rohrer procured an introduction to him, and made some observations derogatory to the valor and virtue of the French.
Bicksit, the traveler, once a visitor at Chateaurien; for he, according to report, had by a coup of diplomacy entrapped the impostor into an admission that there was no such place. However, like poor Captain Badger, the worthy old man had held his peace out of regard for the Duke of Winterset.
Then reverently and with the pride of his gallant office vibrant in every line of his slight figure, invested in white satin and very grand, as he had prophesied, M. le Duc de Chateaurien handed Lady Mary Carlisle down the steps, an achievement which had figured in the ambitions of seven other gentlemen during the evening. "Am I to be lef'in such onhappiness?" he said in a low voice.
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