said afterwards that it was a happy thought, though now I know
the crisis to have been less serious than he fancied to answer,
"Nay, not for M. de Pavannes. Rather for my cousin." And I
bowed. "I have the honour on her behalf to acknowledge your
congratulations, M. le Vidame. It pleases her that our nearest
neighbour should also be the first outside the family to wish her
well. You have divined truly in supposing that she will shortly
be united to M. de Pavannes."

I suppose--for I saw the giant's colour change and his lip quiver
as I spoke--that his previous words had been only a guess. For a
moment the devil seemed to be glaring through his eyes; and he
looked at Marie and me as a wild animal at its keepers. Yet he
maintained his cynical politeness in part. "Mademoiselle desires
my congratulations?" he said, slowly, labouring with each word
it seemed. "She shall have them on the happy day. She shall
certainly have them then. But these are troublous times. And
Mademoiselle's betrothed is I think a Huguenot, and has gone to
Paris. Paris--well, the air of Paris is not good for Huguenots,
I am told."

I saw Catherine shiver; indeed she was on the point of fainting,
I broke in rudely, my passion getting the better of my fears.
"M. de Pavannes can take care of himself, believe me," I said
brusquely.

"Perhaps so," Bezers answered, his voice like the grating of
steel on steel. "But at any rate this will be a memorable day
for Mademoiselle. The day on which she receives her first
congratulations--she will remember it as long as she lives! Oh,