The Story of Viteau

ot where the parchment had been left, evidently searching for something else good to eat,—he was very angry. He knew that there was no more parchment

tment enraged him very much. He ordered Jasto's pig to be instantly slaughtered, and he told Louis that he would cut off one of his

s greatly, and he determined that the morning should not find him in the power of a man who would do such

y anxious to get away as far as possible from the cruel Captain. It was very dark, and he frequently came violently against a tree, or stumbled over tangled vines and bushes, scratching his hands and face and bruising hi

e could not discover, although he searched diligently, any sign or indication of a passage through the thicket. He even climbed a t

ed, and in a few minutes was fast asleep. He slept for hours, and it wa

at moment laughed again. The boy sprang up with a cry, and was abo

ead me over any more such wretched ways as you h

ouis, "you are not g

ot take you back the way you came. Where you crept under the bushes, I had to break

know," sa

if a boy like you were to crouch under a thick bush, I could not see him. So I looked for little bits of blue silk from a pair of trunk hose, and little shreds of purple cloth from a tunic that I knew of. I saw a bit of the silk on some briers when I started out, and I knew I should f

aptain to have one of my ears cut off. You will show me the way to go home, and I promise you, if you will do that, that my mother

and so brought your trouble on you. Therefore, I feel bounden to help you out of it. But, if I send you to your mother, she may forget my sole share in your rescue and return, and may send the ransom-money to our company, when it will be so divided and shared, and measured into parts, that

re than delighted at the prospect o

ill be strong enough, mayhap, to go on to your mother's chateau, though it is still a good distance from here; and I promise you that I shall not

ch the main road as soon as possible; but Jasto assured him that he had no idea of doing that, for the woods would be occupied, at various points along the road, by the cotereaux, who would expect the fugitive b

caution, and frequent halts for outlook and listening, he led the boy through the devious mazes of the forest, without meeting one of his comra

away; that Barran had been there that day, returning from a search for his lost page, but had almost immediately set out for his

have allowed, had it been possible, for the boy was nearly exhausted by fatigue and want of food. After some supper had been prepared for the two travelers, and Louis had eaten as much as Jasto thought good for him, the robber accompanied his young companion to the room he had been used

to the boy, and one who had saved him from the robbers who had captured him; but, as he and Louis

s, and on that he certainly would be seen by some of the cotereaux, who would keep the road under constant watch. To make his way with the boy through the woods on the west of the road would be almost impossible, fo

to find some one who would be willing to go to the castle and inform the Countess of her son's arrival at Viteau, there came to the chateau a party of horsemen wh

castle, taking with them the happy Louis and Jasto, who felt no fear of captur

s for the return of her son; and even Raymond ceased to think, for a time, of his mother's danger, so glad was he to see his dear brother again.

ened to his story with the greatest eagerness, and, when h

e lost boys. It is easy enough to get another Jennet, and, before many years, this

ed Louis. "I did not s

he forest, and so he will not be worn out by hard work. But we won't talk

e was going to have one. I thought of that a good many times, when I was among the robbers

astle. But he never will scold you for not bringing it, and so we need not say anything more about it. But he must wonder that you were bringing him a falcon; for how

to tell him all about it when I should give him th

ugh she liked to talk about everything that was on her mind. "I'll tell him myself. It

w for his fault, and his great desire to make amends for it; but she found that Ra

FOR JASTO AND TH

n plays wild pranks, and the only reason I am sorry that he lost my

a man, and he isn't half so glad as he ought to be, now that his brother is saved from

armly and earnestly for bringing her son to he

er, as soon as I shall have opportunity to send for some, I shall more than pay you for the trouble you have taken. Meantime, as your conduct shows that you wish to leave your compani

ntioned the matter, and he did not feel bold enough, in his first interview with the Countess, to do it himself. He knew that he would be rewarded, but he felt sure that a lady would have no idea of the proper sum to pay for a page's ransom. If the pig had not eaten the letter her son had written, she would have been astonished indeed. He would wait, and, when the proper time came, he would let it be kno

lady; and although Barran's castle and Barran's forces might be strong enough to hold her securely and to drive back her persecutors, a contest of this kind with the Church was something not to be desired by the Count nor by his friends.

day the officers of the Inquisition might app