r days, I scanned the long, flat heaths unceasingly, searched
every marshy bottom before we descended into it, and panted for the
moment when the next low ridge should expose to our view a fresh track
of wood and waste. The rosy visions of the past night, and those fancies
in particular which had made the dawn memorable, recurred to me, as his
deeds in the body (so men say) to a hopeless drowning wretch. I grew to
think of nothing but Bruhl and revenge. Even the absurd care with which
Simon avoided the neighbourhood of Fanchette, riding anywhere so long
as he might ride at a distance from the angry woman's tongue and
hand--which provoked many a laugh from the men, and came to be the joke
of the company--failed to draw a smile from me.

We passed through Contres, four leagues from Blois, an hour after noon,
and three hours later crossed the Cher at Selles, where we stayed
awhile to bait our horses. Here we had news of the party before us, and
henceforth had little doubt that Bruhl was making for the Limousin; a
district in which he might rest secure under the protection of Turenne,
and safely defy alike the King of France and the King of Navarre. The
greater the necessity, it was plain, for speed; but the roads in
that neighbourhood, and forward as far as Valancy, proved heavy and,
foundrous, and it was all we could do to reach Levroux with jaded
horses three hours after sunset. The probability that Bruhl would lie
at Chateauroux, five leagues farther on--for I could not conceive that
under the circumstances he would spare the women--would have led me to
push forward had it been possible; but the darkness and the difficulty
of finding a guide who would venture deterred me from the hopeless
attempt, and we stayed the night where we were.

Here we first heard of the plague; which was said to be ravaging
Chateauroux and all the country farther south. The landlord of the inn
would have regaled us with many stories of it, and particularly of the
swiftness with which men and even cattle succumbed to its attacks. But
we had other things to think of, and between anxiety and weariness had
clean forgotten the matter when we rose next morning.

We started shortly after daybreak, and for three leagues pressed on at
tolerable speed. Then, for no reason stated, our guide gave us the slip
as we passed through a wood, and was seen no more. We lost the road,
and had to retrace our steps. We strayed into a slough, and extracted
ourselve