The War of Women Volume 2

d dinner-party at ?le Saint-Georges, Canolles having invited the principal offic

of whom he then saw for the first time. As they described the great event of the preceding day, making sport of the ladies in Madame la Princesse's retinue, they

ith radiant face, set the example of gayety and ani

pardon, but there is st

young men asked,

know him, and who, just because I do not know him, is entitled to some in

whom the suggestion of delay brought forth a sigh,-"the governor of Vayres, if I mistake not, is

his lieutenant will come in his place. He is himself

ion, for I know a certain commandant who has no reason to complain. Dame! captain, lieutenant-colonel,

to attribute such a succession of favors, I must, in good sooth, agree th

r's good genius," said the lieutenant who receiv

itness to it. But I will take the liberty of adding to it the patronage of a certain la

aker; "if you have any secrets of your own, keep them for your own s

of delay, I supposed that our forgiveness was to be sought in

e without ladies

e whom we could have; besides, we must not forget, messieurs, that our dinner-party is

a veritable crusade against our authority at this moment; witness

e say?" Can

e the women of France refuse to take a lover now until they have sounded him on political ques

e present war is called the 'war of w

ve expired, the door opened, and a servant ann

ut as the procession was about to start, anoth

e Gouverneu

lles; "it's ver

gue in whom he expected to find a str

ed; "Richon, gov

ed Richon, affably, but with hi

nd. "Messieurs," he added, "you do not know him, but I do; and I say, emphatically, th

ted no other expression in the looks which were bent upon hi

so handsomely, present me, I beg you, to those o

ntly at three or four gentlemen

ssed Richon was on the friendliest terms with all the young officers, and might have asked any one of them for his sword o

an, Monsieur de Mazarin has a keen eye for fighting-men, and has been managing matters well in that d

ghting?" inquired

ng man fresh from the court. "You ask if

es

hat condition your

ys I have been at the fort I have done more repairi

efore they will be tested

id Richon. "What do figh

Canolles, "for he holds the Bordelais

ere I am can count upon m

ay you have been a

have you been at Sai

nked these gentlemen sufficiently. There were bells ringing and drums beating, and acclamations. Cann

Turenne regiment, and I was in a quandary how I was to do it, when my commission, signed by Monsieur d'épernon, arrived at Saint-Pierre, where I t

ious of an indefinable presentiment of evil from

ttled there?" h

s in order," Richon

y men ha

I am forming in the town; as fast as recruits come in, I take them in hand, tradesmen, workingmen, youths, about two hundred

y?" inquired on

tain Cau

him," said s

said C

stanch

ink, however, that Captain Cauvignac is a creature o

y man who is devoted to the du

r the king," said the old officer, who was making up for the

ither?" asked Richon, with h

ar as Blois," replied the y

u sure

l de la Meilleraie, who is to effect a junction in

-Georges,

nsieur de la Meilleraie comes from B

to look well to his bastions," said the governor of Braunes. "Monsieur

," said Canolles; "unfortun

nless some one of us de

the princes he'll have Monsieur de la Meilleraie and Monsieur d'épernon about hi

confess that I am a little ashamed to have no worthier antagonist. Unfortunately,

u that, never fe

conjecture on that sub

I have certain knowledge. The council of citizens h

s, "let them come; I

e dessert had just been served, when they hear

hat mean?" s

court, "it would be curious if they should attack you at this moment;

d cads never fail to disturb you at your meals. I was at the outposts at Charento

rderly on duty in th

ing on?" Ca

uverneur; some messenger from the

and let

hastened f

his guests, most of whom had left their seats. "It will

res a cloud had passed, still seemed restless, and kept his eyes fixed upon the door,

erneur," said he,

f truce f

the pr

g from

Bord

the guests save Richo

, is it," said the old officer,

at moment his features assumed as grave an

nfronted with a question not easy to solve in connection with this message fro

ur leave, commandant; this incident is notice to us to ret

e suggestion comes from you I am bound to say that it would be the more

ving been ferried ashore, vaulted into the saddle, or entered their carriages and rode

he last to t

did, as we have known each other longer than you have known

gave him

n your mind; you do not tell it to me, for it probably is not your secret. However, y

bout to part?

en we took leave of each other at Bis

smile

e a presentiment that we

dly melancholy inflection in the

death of a brave man; and in that case the one who dies will be sure, at all events, of surviving

d for some seconds their noble

n, as if he feared that Canolles might see the tear, he hurried from the room, ashamed, no doubt, to h