vernor of the province, monsieur, and in this matter you
have in addition the Queen's particular authority--nay, her commands are
imposed upon you. Those commands, as interpreted by me, you will execute
in the manner I have indicated."

The Seneschal shrugged his shoulders, and chewed a second at his beard.

"It is an easy thing for you to tell me what to do. Tell me, rather, how
to do it, how to overcome her opposition."

"You are very sure of opposition--strangely sure, monsieur," said
Garnache, looking him between the eyes. "In any case, you have
soldiers."

"And so has she, and the strongest castle in southern France--to say
nothing of the most cursed obstinacy in the world. What she says, she
does."

"And what the Queen says her loyal servants do," was Garnache's
rejoinder, in a withering tone. "I think there is nothing more to be
said, monsieur," he added. "By this time to-morrow I shall expect to
receive from you, here, the charge of Mademoiselle de La Vauvraye. A
demain, donc, Monsieur le Seneschal."

And with another bow the man from Paris drew himself erect, turned on
his heel, and went jingling and creaking from the room.

The Lord Seneschal sank back in his chair, and wondered to himself
whether to die might not prove an easy way out of the horrid situation
into which chance and his ill-starred tenderness for the Dowager of
Condillac had thrust him.

At his desk sat his secretary, who had been a witness of the interview,
lost in wonder almost as great as the Seneschal's own.

For an hour Tressan remained where he was, deep in thought and gnawing
at his beard. Then with a sudden burst of passion, expressed in a round
oath or two, he rose, and called for his horse that he might ride to
Condillac.

CHAPTER III. THE DOWAGER'S COMPLIANCE

Promptly at noon on the morrow Monsieur de Garnache presented himself
once more at the Seneschal's palace, and with him went Rabecque, his
body-servant, a lean, swarthy, sharp-faced man, a trifle younger than
his master.

Anselme, the obese master of the household, received them with profound
respect, and at once conducted Garnache to Monsieur de Tressan's
presence.

On the stairs they met Captain d'Aubran, who was descending. The captain
was not in the best of humours. For four-and-twenty hours he had kept
two hundred of his men under arms, ready to march as soon as he should
receive his orders from the Lord Seneschal, yet those instructions were
not f