e
world, and enabling me to meet in a straightforward manner such
as maligned us. After some consideration I gave my assent, merely
conditioning that until we reached the Court we should ride masked, and
shun as far as possible encounters by the road.

CHAPTER XXXII. A TAVERN BRAWL.

On the following day, accordingly, we started. But the news of the two
kings' successes, and particularly the certainty which these had bred in
many minds that nothing short of a miracle could save Paris, had moved
so many gentlemen to take the road that we found the inns crowded beyond
example, and were frequently forced into meetings which made the task
of concealing our identity more difficult and hazardous than I had
expected. Sometimes shelter was not to be obtained on any terms, and
then we had to lie in the fields or in any convenient shed. Moreover,
the passage of the army had swept the country so bare both of food and
forage, that these commanded astonishing prices; and a long day's ride
more than once brought us to our destination without securing for us the
ample meal we had earned, and required.

Under these circumstances, it was with joy little short of transport
that I recognised the marvellous change which had come over my mistress.
Bearing all without a murmur, or a frown, or so much as one complaining
word, she acted on numberless occasions so as to convince me that she
spoke truly--albeit I scarcely dared to believe it--when she said that
she had but one trouble in the world, and that was the prospect of our
coming separation.

For my part, and despite some gloomy moments, when fear of the future
overcame me, I rode in Paradise riding by my mistress. It was her
presence which glorified alike the first freshness of the morning, when
we started with all the day before us, and the coolness of the late
evening, when we rode hand-in-hand. Nor could I believe without an
effort that I was the same Gaston de Marsac who she had once spurned
and disdained. God knows I was thankful for her love. A thousand times,
thinking of my grey hairs, I asked her if she did not repent; and a
thousand times she answered No, with so much happiness in her eyes that
I was fain to thank God again and believe her.

Notwithstanding the inconvenience of the practice, we made it a rule
to wear our masks whenever we appeared in public; and this rule me kept
more strictly as we approached Paris. It exposed us to some comment and
more curiosity, b