"Phooh!" puffed Jacqueline. "I felt smothered! I never marked our two
lodgers so carefully. 'Tis a bad thing for us women that the Devil can
wear so fair a mien!"

"Ay, cast some holy water on him," said Tirechair, "and you will see
him turn into a toad.--I am off to tell the office all about them."

On hearing this speech, the lady roused herself from the reverie into
which she had sunk, and looked at the constable, who was donning his
red-and-blue jacket.

"Whither are you off to?" she asked.

"To tell the justices that wizards are lodging in our house very much
against our will."

The lady smiled.

"I," said she, "am the Comtesse de Mahaut," and she rose with a
dignity that took the man's breath away. "Beware of bringing the
smallest trouble on your guests. Above all, respect the old man; I
have seen him in the company of your Lord the King, who entreated him
courteously; you will be ill advised to trouble him in any way. As to
my having been here--never breathe a word of it, as you value your
life."

She said no more, but relapsed into thought.

Presently she looked up, signed to Jacqueline, and together they went