And so, through having delayed my departure
by a single day, did it come to pass that a message reached me
before it might have been too late.
It was high noon of the morrow. Our horses stood saddled; indeed,
some of my men were already mounted - for I was not minded to
disband them until Beaugency was reached - and my two coaches were
both ready for the journey. The habits of a lifetime are not so
easy to abandon even when Necessity raises her compelling voice.
I was in the act of settling my score with the landlord when of a
sudden there were quick steps in the passage, the clank of a rapier
against the wall, and a voice - the voice of Castelroux - calling
excitedly "Bardelys! Monsieur de Bardelys!"
"What brings you here?" I cried in greeting, as he stepped into
the room.
"Are you still for Beaugency?" he asked sharply, throwing back his
head.
"Why, yes," I answered, wondering at this excitement.
"Then you have seen nothing of Saint-Eustache and his men?"
"Nothing."
"Yet they must have passed this way not many hours ago." Then
tossing his hat on the table and speaking with sudden vehemence:
"If you have any interest in the family of Lavedan, you will return
upon the instant to Toulouse."
The mention of Lavedan was enough to quicken my pulses. Yet in the
past two days I had mastered resignation, and in doing that we
school ourselves to much restraint. I turned slowly, and surveyed
the little Captain attentively.
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