Vidame."

"She will not see me?" he asked, eyeing me very unpleasantly.

"Her indisposition deprives her of the pleasure," I answered with
an effort. He was certainly a wonderful man, for at sight of
him, three-fourths of my courage, and all my importance, oozed
out at the heels of my boots.

"She will not see me. Very well," he replied, as if I had not
spoken. And the simple words sounded like a sentence of death.
"Then, M. Anne, I have a crow to pick with you. What
compensation do you propose to make for the death of my servant?
A decent, quiet fellow, whom you killed yesterday, poor man,
because his enthusiasm for the true faith carried him away a
little."

"Whom I killed because he drew a dagger on M. St. Croix de Caylus
at the Vicomte's gate," I answered steadily. I had thought about
this of course and was ready for it. "You are aware, M. de
Bezers," I continued, "that the Vicomte has jurisdiction
extending to life and death over all persons within the valley?"

"My household excepted," he rejoined quietly.

"Precisely; while they are within the curtilage of your house," I
retorted. "However as the punishment was summary, and the man
had no time to confess himself, I am willing to--"

"Well?"