France and loyalty to the cause. Ah, think of the glories of the
Empire! of France as the light of Europe, of Napoleon making her rich
and proud and dominant! And think of her now, sinking into the wallow of
bourgeois vulgarity! If--if, as His Excellency said, the light were to
come from here, even from this far corner of the world, from this old
France, to be the torch of freedom once again--from our little parish
here!"

His face was glowing, his thin hands made a quick gesture of charmed
anticipation.

Madame Chalice looked at him in a sort of wonder and delight. Dreamers
all! And this visionary Napoleon had come into the little man's quiet,
cultured, passive life, and had transformed him, filled him with
adventure and patriotism. There must be something behind Valmond, some
real, even some great thing, or this were not possible. It was not
surprising that she, with the spirit of dreams and romance deep in her,
should be sympathetic, even carried away for the moment.

"How is the feeling in the country since his illness?" she asked.

"Never so strong as now. Many new recruits come to him. Organisation
goes on, and His Excellency has issued a proclamation. I have advised
him against that--it is not necessary, it is illegal. He should
not tempt our Government too far. But he is a gentleman of as great
simplicity as courage, of directness and virtue--a wholesome soldier--"

She thought again of that moonlit night, and Elise's window, and a kind
of hatred of the man came up in her. No, no, she was wrong; he was not
the true thing.

"Dear avocat," she said suddenly, "you are a good friend. May I have
always as good! But have you ever thought that this thing may end in
sore disaster? Are we doing right? Is the man worthy our friendship and
our adherence?"

"Ah, dear madame, convictions, principles, truth, they lead to good
ends--somewhere. I have a letter here from Monsieur Valmond. It breathes
noble things; it has humour, too--ah, yes, so quaint! I am to see him
this afternoon--he returns to the Louis Quinze to-day. The Cure and I--"

She laid her hand on his arm, interrupting him. "Will you take me this
evening to Monsieur Valmond, dear friend?" she asked.

She saw now how useless it was to attempt anything through these
admirers of Valmond; she must do it herself. He must be firmly and
finally warned and dissuaded. The conviction had suddenly come to her
with great force, that the end was near--come to her as