stole up behind him, unperceived, and
administered a sounding box upon his sizable ears.

"Would you? To the cupboard, miserable!" and Adrian could not repress
a smile at the meekness with which the great woodlander submitted to
the little woman's authority.

"Xanthippe and Socrates!" he murmured, and Pierre heard him. So,
grimacing at him from under the heavy sack, called back: "Fifty
dollar. Tell her fifty dollar."

"What he mean by fifty dollar?" demanded Angelique.

"I suppose something about that 'show' business of his. It is his
ambition, you know, and I must admit I believe he'd be a success at
it."

"Pouf! There is more better business than the 'showin'' one, of takin'
God's beasties into the towns and lettin' the foolish people stare.
The money comes that way is not good money."

"Oh! yes. It's all right, fair Angelique. But what is the word for
me?"

"It is: that you come with me, at once, to the master. He will speak
with you before he sleeps. Yes. And Adrian, lad!"

"Well, Angelique?"

"This is the truth. Remember. When the heart is sore tried the tongue
is often sharp. There is death. That is a sorrow. God sends it. There
are sorrows God does not send but the evil one. Death is but joy to
them. What the master says, answer; and luck light upon your lips."

The lad had never seen the old housekeeper so impressive nor so
gentle. At the moment it seemed as if she almost liked him, though,
despite the faithfulness with which she had obeyed her master's wishes
and served him, he had never before suspected it.

"Thank you, Angelique. I am troubled, too, and I will take care that I
neither say nor resent anything harsh. More than that, I will go away.
I have stayed too long, already, though I had hoped I was making
myself useful. Is he in his own study?"

"Yes, and the little maid is with him. No. There she comes, but she is
not laughin', no. Oh! the broken glass. Scat, Meroude! Why leap upon
one to scare the breath out, that way? Pst! 'Tis here that tame
creatures grow wild and wild ones tame. Scat! I say."

Margot was coming through the rooms, holding Reynard by the collar she
made him wear whenever he was in the neighborhood of the hen-house,
and Tom limped listlessly along upon her other side. There was trouble
and perplexity in the girl's face, and Angelique made a great pretense
of being angry with the cat, to hide that in her own.

But Margot noticed neither her nor Adrian, and sitting do