The War of Women Volume 2

like a statue in the centre of the room. Canolles walked toward her with a sad smile

is difficult and dangerous post to be given you; if you are killed I shall be the cause of your

gently ra

sacred in my sight; I have sworn to protect you, def

tom of your heart, Canolles,

Canolles,

-was there ever in the world a woman who would love you as I love you? They offered you promotion? Look you, you are to be attacked; very good! let us buy soldiers, let us heap up arms and ammunition; let us double our forces and defend ourselves; I will fight for my love, you for your ho

always expect to their exaggerated words,-a response, that is to say, as absu

you shall never suffer injury, never submit to insult. Set yo

ot all I ask. Alas! I am lost," she mut

her eyes like a lightning-flash, and the frightful

ear, throw your cloak over your shoulders, take your man's hat, and let us take a breath of the night ai

she arrayed herself as her lov

ptain, and even the oldest among them addressed him with respect. The only things with which they could find fault were the mildness of his voice when giving orders, and the extreme courtesy with which he questioned them; they feared that this last might be the mask of weakness. However, as every one realized the imminence of the danger, the governor's orders were executed with such celerity and accuracy that the chief conceived as favorable an opinion of his soldiers as they had formed of him. A company of pioneers had arrived

he first saw Madame de Cambes. But, strangely enough, his mind went back no farther than that day; it seemed to him as if his real life had begun at that time; that until then he had lived in another world,-a world of inferior instincts, of incomplete sensations. But from that hour there

ved by Madame de Cambes, Canolles confessed to himself that it was duty alone which impelled him to act

ing for her friendship, and in love

assal gathering its strength to war against its master, rather than a faithful servant bearing its tribute to the ocean,-but the slow, painful struggle in her lover's mind; in that dark form outlined against the stone, in that motionless shadow lying beneath a lantern, she saw the living phantom of her past happiness. She, once s

he garrison anew, inspected by daylight the different batteries, especially those which commanded the left bank of the Garonne, ordered the little harbor to be closed by chains, stationed a

ng him with a sm

onsieur d'épernon himself tremble; but a timid mistress, a shrinking slave, wh

rts of the two young people. The scouts sent out by Canolles returned one after another. No one of them brought any d

which lay hidden in the inmost recesses of her heart, made known its result to Lenet. The Bordelais lou

ps to carry it through. Lenet seized the opportunity to whisper the names of the two dukes and offer the services of their army; the suggesti

e good news to the princess, wh

g part in any decision adverse to Canolles, an

hreats of the mob. Every shout, every

and arquebuses; the cannon were taken from the arsenal, powder was distributed, and two hundred boats were in readiness

efoucauld, who had entered the city with about two thousand gentlemen. Monsieur le Duc de Bouillon, with a thousand more, was to arrive two day