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Henri established his head-quarters in a stone house, in the centre of the town, and here also he got accommodation for the three ladies and M. de Lescure. M. de Lescure had suffered grievously through the whole journey, but he seemed to rally when he reached Laval, and the comparative comfort of his quiet chamber gave him ease, and lessened his despondency.
"Is she safe is she alive?" asked Madame de Lescure, almost frantic with grief and fear. "She is alive, and I believe unhurt," said Henri; "but I fear she is senseless. She is quite undressed, too, as I was obliged to leave the cloak in which I had covered her, in the dying grasp of a trooper whom I killed."
"You wouldn't have me do so, would you, Arthur?" "Who I?" said the boy. "No that is, I don't know. I wouldn't like to have to say that anybody should be hung; but if anybody ever did deserve it, he does." "And you, Father Jerome?" said de Lescure, "you agree with me? You would not have us sully our pure cause with a cold-blooded execution?"
At five o'clock the greater portion of the army left the camp with d'Elbee and de Lescure.
"I name M. de Lescure," said Cathelineau. "Some of us are beloved by the people, but are not educated; others are highly educated, but are not yet known to the peasants. We are all, I am sure, brave men: but M. de Lescure is beloved by all; his knowledge fits him for his high position, and his cool, constant, determined courage, no man who has seen him in the hour of battle will doubt.
"Yes but, M. Henri, Annot Stein has some scruples; or rather " "Scruples! Oh, by all means, let her stay behind then. I'll have no one with me who has any scruples; tell her to stay with her father. I'll speak to Mademoiselle de Lescure." "But Monsieur is in such a hurry," said Chapeau, who had not the slightest intention to have the matter arranged in this way.
"Sit down, Madame de Lescure," said he, "sit down, Mademoiselle," and he made the latter sit down on the altar step. "You are fatigued, and you have agitated yourself too intensely." "Why don't you speak, Father Jerome? Why don't you tell me at once is he alive?" And then she added, almost screaming in her agitation, "For God's sake, Sir, don't keep a wretched, miserable woman in suspense!"
"Father Jerome," said Madame de Lescure in a low voice, laying her hand on the threadbare sleeve of the old grey coat, which he still wore. "If you could guess the comfort I have in finding you here!" The priest sprang from his knees at hearing her voice, and gazed at her as though she had been a ghost.
"There cannot be many of them," said Henri, "and what there are, are all mounted. They are the German hussars; I know them by their brazen helmets. They won't attempt to follow us through the woods." "They would have been after us before now had they intended doing so," said de Lescure. "The way was clear for them through the farm-yard, Francois, was it not?" "No, Monseigneur," said Francois.
The agents of the Convention, who had tyrannized the town so long, were thrown into prison, as were their chief supporters; but private property was untouched. On the following day there was a council, at which Lescure, seriously wounded as he was, was present. It was agreed that it was indispensable that one man should be appointed commander-in-chief.
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