pponent of Master Mule had evaporated. Two meek and
scarcely whispered words alone left his lips--

"Yes, sir."

"Another thing. Are you willing to choose my intendancy at a fair profit
rather than election to the States-General and glory?"

A white wave passed over Populus' countenance. At length, however, he
again whispered--

"Yes, sir."

"Well, then, Monsieur Intendant, we can proceed to business. How much
grain have I in the granaries? I have the books here."

"About four thousand bushels of wheat."

"In the book are entered two thousand."

"That is my mistake, sir."

"And of barley how much?"

"Seven thousand."

"You entered it four here. Another mistake, no doubt. See that there are
no such mistakes in future. My instructions to you then, Monsieur
Intendant, are to take the whole of this wheat and distribute it among
our starving people under the instructions of the parish priests.
Superintend this at once."

CHAPTER XLIV

SELF-DEFENCE

Dominique made an incomparable butler. It boots not to tell how, under
his military sway, the servants seemed almost to acquire the new
Prussian drill; the stores and cellars were listed with the system of a
commissariat, dust disappeared like magic from gildings and parquetry,
and order and state surrounded "the young Chevalier" in all his
movements.

But above all the new _maitre d'hotel_ energetically carried out the
immediate wish of his master, and soon everything was ready for an event
to which Germain was looking forward with supreme delight--the coming of
Cyrene to see her future home. The day arrived. The Canoness accompanied
her. The ecstasy of the lovers as they clasped each other in the place
of their first meeting may be left unwritten. Very often was the
Canoness constrained to absorb herself in her little illuminated
prayer-book.

Eight or nine days after the event, the time arrived when it was
customary at Eaux Tranquilles for the tenants to pay their feudal dues,
and Germain was alone in the office of the chateau, looking over the
ancient titles of de Bailleul's inheritances, preparatory to receiving
the "faith and homage" of his subjects.

"I must go no farther," he was saying to himself. "She must not marry me
without knowing everything. The time has come for confession, and I must
spare myself in nothing. What will she think of me when she knows how
false I have been?"

At that point Dominique stepped in gravely and shut the do