re at noon, I thought."

"It happens that it is not noon," said Coconnas, "that is all, and,
apparently, we still have time to take a nap."

So saying, Coconnas stretched himself on his cloak like a man who is
about to add practice to precept; but as his ear touched the ground he
raised his finger and motioned La Mole to be silent.

"What is it?" asked the latter.

"Hush! this time I am sure I hear something."

"That is singular; I have listened, but I hear nothing."

"Nothing?"

"No."

"Well!" said Coconnas, rising and laying his hand on La Mole's arm,
"look at that deer."

"Where?"

"Yonder."

Coconnas pointed to the animal.

"Well?"

"Well, you will see."

La Mole watched the deer. With head bent forward as though about to
browse it listened without stirring. Soon it turned its head, covered
with magnificent branching horns, in the direction from which no doubt
the sound came. Then suddenly, without apparent cause, it disappeared
like a flash of lightning.

"Oh!" said La Mole, "I believe you are right, for the deer has fled."

"Because of that," said Coconnas, "it must have heard what you have not
heard."

In short, a faint, scarcely perceptible sound quivered vaguely through
the passes; to less practised ears it would have seemed like the breeze;
for the two men it was the far-off galloping of horses. In an instant La
Mole was on his feet.

"Here they are!" said he; "quick."

Coconnas rose, but more calmly. The energy of the Piedmontese seemed to
have passed into the heart of La Mole, while on the other hand the
indolence of the latter seemed to have taken possession of his friend.
One acted with enthusiasm; the other with reluctance. Soon a regular and
measured sound struck the ear of the two friends. The neighing of a
horse made the coursers they had tied ten paces away prick up their
ears, as through the alley there passed like a white shadow a woman who,
turning towards them, made a strange sign and disappeared.

"The queen!" they exclaimed together.

"What can it mean?" asked Coconnas.

"She made a sign," said La Mole, "which meant 'presently.'"

"She made a sign," said Coconnas, "which meant 'flee!'"

"The signal meant 'wait for me.'"

"The signal meant 'save yourself.'"

"Well," said La Mole, "let each act on his own conviction; you leave and
I will remain."

Coconnas shrugged his shoulders and lay down again.

At that moment in the opposite direction from that in which