head on his hand, and studying the
table with his eyes in a sullen fashion; so that I began to regret
the condescension I had evinced in letting him be seated, and found it
necessary to remind him that he had taken service with me, and must do
my bidding.

'Well,' he said morosely, and without looking up, 'I am ready to do it.
But I do not like priests, and this one least of all. I know him, and I
will not meddle with him.'

'You will not meddle with him?' I cried, almost beside myself with
dismay.

'No, I won't,' he replied, retaining his listless attitude. 'I know him,
and I am afraid of him. I am no match for him.'

'Then M. de Rosny was wrong, was he?' I said, giving way to my anger.

'If it please you,' he answered pertly.

This was too much for me. My riding-switch lay handy, and I snatched
it up. Before he knew what I would be at, I fell upon him, and gave him
such a sound wholesome drubbing as speedily brought him to his senses.
When he cried for mercy--which he did not for a good space, being still
possessed by the peevish devil which had ridden him ever since his
departure from Rosny--I put it to him again whether M. de Rosny was not
right. When he at last admitted this, but not till then, I threw the
whip away and let him go, but did not cease to reproach him as he
deserved.

'Did you think,' I said, 'that I was going to be ruined because you
would not use your lazy brains? That I was going to sit still, and let
you sulk, while mademoiselle walked blindfold into the toils? Not at
all, my friend!'

'Mademoiselle!' he exclaimed, looking at me with a sudden change of
countenance, end ceasing to rub himself and scowl, as he had been doing.
'She is not here, and is in no danger.'

'She will be here to-morrow, or the next day,' I said.

You did not tell me that!' he replied, his eyes glittering. 'Does Father
Antoine know it?'

'He will know it the moment she enters the town,' I answered.

Noting the change which the introduction of mademoiselle's name into the
affair had wrought in him, I felt something like humiliation. But at the
moment I had no choice; it was my business to use such instruments as
came to my hand, and not, mademoiselle's safety being at stake, to pick
and choose too nicely. In a few minutes our positions were reversed. The
lad had grown as hot as I cold, as keenly excited as I critical. When
he presently came to a stand in front of me, I saw a strange likeness
between his face a