d, and I think, on the whole, she
made the journey with ease of mind and comfort of body.

On the seventh evening, toward sunset, we rode into Koenigsberg, across
the new bridge, and up to the best inn of the town, The Rose. And as
we rode through the narrow streets, with their tall gabled houses, and
into the courtyard of the inn, we saw there the welcomest sight our
eyes could have rested on--the traveling chaise of Madame Riano, with
old Peter on the box, and Madame Riano herself descending from the
chaise. And she was assisted by Regnard Cheverny!

Francezka uttered a cry of joy when she recognized Madame Riano,
sprang from her horse before any one of us could give her a hand, and
ran to her; then laying her head upon Madame Riano's arm, burst into
tears, but not tears of pain. Madame Riano held her close and kissed
her. I think the two were at heart passionately attached to each
other. I saw tears also in Madame Riano's handsome, intrepid, tawny
eyes, and her usually loud and determined voice broke when she thanked
Count Saxe for his goodness to Mademoiselle Capello.

I was staggered at the sight of Regnard Cheverny, having thought him
many hundreds of leagues away; but there he was, in the life, and as
handsome and debonair a young gentleman as one would wish to see. He
and Gaston embraced with unusual affection even for brothers. Whatever
their rivalry might be, there could be no question that each bore love
for the other.

Francezka having recovered a little from her agitation, Regnard came
forward to greet her, and I saw that in his eye which showed me that
he had traveled from Paris to Koenigsberg for the sight of her. Gaston
showed his admiration more openly.

We went into the inn, were shown the best room, and then exchanged
the story of our adventures. As Gaston surmised, the Russians had
not meant to be very severe on Madame Riano, and after detaining
her a month at a small village not far from Mitau had let her go.
Holding Madame Riano was as I have said of Count Saxe--it was the
holding of a wolf by the ears. Meanwhile, Regnard Cheverny had
arrived at Mitau, and hearing of the lady's mishaps, went to her, in
the little town where she was under nominal surveillance. Madame
Riano, with her usual acuteness had pitched upon Koenigsberg as the
likeliest place to await news from Francezka, for she had found out
that Count Saxe was at Uzmaiz, and concluded that Francezka was there
or in that neighborhood.