a large village.

"That is Richelieu, monsieur," exclaimed mademoiselle, "and the water
that we hear is the Mable."

"See there, monsieur!" Pierrebon suddenly cut in, as he arrested
mademoiselle's horse, and pointed to his right, where on the edge of
the forest we saw lights at the windows of a low-lying, irregular
building half concealed amidst trees. "See there!" continued
Pierrebon; "that is a house where at least we shall be able to sup and
get a guide."

"A guide," I exclaimed, "with Richelieu before us!"

"Listen to the Mable," urged Pierrebon; "is there a bridge? If not we
must ford it; and they say the river is deep and dangerous; but perhaps
mademoiselle knows the ford?"

"Indeed I do not."

Considering all things, I came to the conclusion that Pierrebon was
right, and that it would be wiser to seek the house. As we approached
it, mademoiselle said:

"It may be the hunting-lodge of Le Jaquemart, belonging to the Sieur de
Richelieu."

"Well, we will know soon," I said, and urged Pierrebon to quicken his
pace. There was but a bare quarter mile of moorland, covered with
yellow broom and purple thistle, to be passed, and then we came up to
the house. As we did so we perceived that it was surrounded by a high
stone wall, and mademoiselle exclaimed positively:

"It is Le Jaquemart; but it is strange it is occupied, for the Sieur de
Richelieu is in Italy."

"_Bien_," I thought to myself, "the furrier's niece knows all about the
Sieurs de Richelieu!" And then aloud: "Perhaps he has returned with
Montluc, mademoiselle; or it may be that friends of his hunt the
forest."

"M. de Parthenay is near Loudon."

I made no answer, for at this moment we reined up before the gate, and
glanced at the massive, studded portal, and the old wall, with its soft
crowning of ivy on the top, and grey-green, moss-covered sides, where
the yellow wall-pepper and white serpyllum pushed between the crevices
of the stonework. And as we looked we heard from within a peal of loud
laughter, a woman's voice mingling with the deeper tones of that of a
man. As the laughter ceased Pierrebon exclaimed:

"They are gay within, monsieur!" And then, on a sign from me, he
knocked long and loudly.

"Enough, enough! You would waken the dead."

"One more, monsieur!" And Pierrebon, who already smelt his supper,
brought the brass lion's head of the knocker with such force against
the studded door that it might have been heard a qu