"And bid him come," said the lady, every feature glowing with indignant
feeling, and high resolve; "bid him come, and we will teach him to
respect the rights which he has dared to infringe; to acknowledge the
authority which he has presumed to insult; to withdraw the claims, which
he has most arrogantly preferred. Tell him, that the lady of La Tour is
resolved to sustain the honor of her absent lord, to defend his just
cause to the last extremity, and preserve, inviolate, the possessions
which his king hath intrusted to his keeping. Go tell your lord, that,
though a woman, my heart is fearless as his own; say, that I spurn his
offered mercy, I defy his threatened vengeance, and to God, the
defender of the innocent, I look for succor in the hour of danger and
strife."

So saying, she turned from him, with a courteous gesture, though her
manner convinced him that any farther parley would be useless; and
endeavoring to conceal his chagrin by an air of studied civility, the
dissatisfied messenger was reconducted to the boat.

The vessels of M. d'Aulney left their anchorage below the fort, at an
early hour in the morning; but it was reported, that they still lay near
the mouth of the river, probably to intercept the return of La Tour. The
day passed away, and he did not arrive, nor were any tidings received
from him. Mad. la Tour's page remarked the unusual dejection of his
lady, and, emulous perhaps of her braver spirit, resolved, if possible,
to obtain some information, which might relieve her anxiety. With this
intention he left the fort soon after sunset, attended only by a large
Newfoundland dog, which was his constant companion, whenever he ventured
beyond the gates. For some time, he walked slowly along the bank of the
river, hoping to meet with some fishermen, who usually returned from