ey have stopped a carriage at the corner of the street, and are
threatening the occupants."

"More of Conde's friends," said Raoul lightly. "Fortunately, Joli has
put the crowd in good humour, and there will be no mischief done unless
those inside are obstinate."

"Listen. There is one woman not easily frightened!" and above the
turmoil caused by the _canaille_ rose a defiant "_Vive le Prince!_"

"Imbecile!" cried Raoul angrily, "they will tear her in pieces!"

"She has plenty of pluck, whoever she is!" I replied.

The next instant we had drawn our swords; for the woman in the carriage
who had so proudly defied the ruffians of Paris was Madame Coutance,
and by her side, pale yet undismayed, sat Marie.

The elder lady, marvellously handsome in her excitement, stood up in
full view of the crowd. Her cheeks were flushed; her large black eyes
flashed with surprising brilliancy; her lips were firm and compressed;
and she gazed at the mob in scornful disdain. At first the people
laughed good-naturedly, telling her that if she would cry "Down with
Conde!" they would let her carriage pass. Then some of the fiercer
ones pressing closer, used threats, but Madame Coutance, either
reckless from excitement or not understanding the danger, only smiled.

Raoul and I had reached the fringe of the now angry crowd, when,
turning round at a touch on my shoulder, I perceived my English friend.

"What is it?" he asked. "Another revolution?"

"The people are trying to force a woman to cry 'Down with Conde.'"

"There's her answer," said he, as in a clear ringing voice Madame
Coutance cried aloud, "Pah! You are not good enough for Conde to wipe
his boots on!"

There was no disguising the bitterness of the insult. The aristocrat
flung it at them, flung it fight in their faces, and laughed as she saw
it strike home. A howl of rage greeted the taunt, and, listening to
the wild, fierce yell--so different from the noisy bravado of a few
minutes before, I shuddered; there was something so stern and
purposeful about it.

For fully a minute each man stood in his place, nursing the insult he
had received; then, as if by one common impulse, the whole body sprang
at the carriage. The uproar waxed furious; the narrow street became a
pandemonium; in their savage eagerness the people struggled and fought
without order or method.

The occupants of the houses on both sides, joining in the fray,
showered missiles on the excited mob; th