"But Louise - how shall I know - "

"Begone! begone! King Louis XI. knew very well what he was about when he
invented the post."

"Alas!" sighed Raoul.

"And am I not here - I, who am worth all the posts in the kingdom?
Quick, I say, to horse! so that if Madame de Saint-Remy should return for
the purpose of preaching me a lesson on morality, she may not find you
here."

"She would tell my father, would she not?" murmured Raoul.

"And you would be scolded. Ah, vicomte, it is very plain you come from
court; you are as timid as the king. _Peste!_ at Blois we contrive
better than that, to do without papa's consent. Ask Malicorne else!"

And at these words the girl pushed Raoul out of the room by the
shoulders. He glided swiftly down to the porch, regained his horse,
mounted, and set off as if he had had Monsieur's guards at his heels.


Chapter IV:
Father and Son.

Raoul followed the well-known road, so dear to his memory, which led from
Blois to the residence of the Comte de la Fere.

The reader will dispense with a second description of that habitation: