The landlord shook his head. "Ah, M. le Vidame knows the world!"
he answered shrewdly. "He is not to be taken off his guard, not
he! One of his men whispered me that twenty staunch fellows
would join him at Chateauroux. They say the wars are over, but"
--and the good man, shrugging his shoulders, cast an expressive
glance at some fine flitches of bacon which were hanging in his
chimney. "However, your lordships know better than I do," he
added briskly. "I am a poor man. I only wish to live at peace
with my neighbours, whether they go to mass or sermon."

This was a sentiment so common in those days and so heartily
echoed by most men of substance both in town and country, that we
did not stay to assent to it; but having received from the worthy
fellow a token which would insure our obtaining fresh cattle at
Limoges, we took to the road again, refreshed in body, and with
some food for thought.

Five-and-twenty attendants were more than even such a man as
Bezers, who had many enemies, travelled with in those days;
unless accompanied by ladies. That the Vidame had provided such
a reinforcement seemed to point to a wider scheme than the one
with which we had credited him. But we could not guess what his
plans were; since he must have ordered his people before he heard
of Catherine's engagement. Either his jealousy therefore had put
him on the alert earlier, or his threatened attack on Pavannes
was only part of a larger plot. In either case our errand seemed
more urgent, but scarcely more hopeful.

The varied sights and sounds however of the road--many of them
new to us--kept us from dwelling over much on this. Our eyes