In the Day of Adversity

ent far to repay St. Georges for any discomfort he had suffered during the wr

guttering candle and his eye in the most approved fashion, and seemed to be making or receiving amends for the miserable meal he had also

ut to burn with some effect-by the summary method of kicking them close to each othe

or him-wrote me that I might expect a visit fro

he added: "Truly, for a poor lieutenant of horse, such as I am, the kin

im from behind the glass which he was again holding up to the lig

m. "Monseigneur, it is evident you know nothing of Georges St. Georges

es, there must be something which guides Louis in sending for you-in removing you from the miserable garrison in the Jura to Paris. Ah, Paris!" he interjected with an upward glance. "Paris! Paris!" But having re

ier for a year, and as for my service, why I have done nothing to distinguish mysel

are you,

ty-th

born in 1655. Ah!" and he leaned back in his chair and muttered to himse

, monseigneur?" asked th

imagined him to be-a servitor-it was now thoroughly suitable to his position-the position of a member of an old French family and of a father of the Church; "pardon me, my mind rambles sometimes when-when I

k! surely that is the cathedral clock striking.

t. Nay, tell the story, and-shall we crack

sses are all I allow myself after supper at the best of times. And, after all, my his

dventurous, as you are-as you must be. The chevaux-légers e

mission-namely, fourteen years ago-then the Peace of Nimeguen, and since then stagnation in various garrisons. Yet th

l triumph as he has done before. But why-how-did yo

l. My mother-an English woman-excuse me, Monse

speaking, "so, indeed, I have. But 'tis not much. And there is still that other bottle uncorked." Then with a sidelong glance

d when the Commonwealth was declared. He had done his best for the king,

Georges. Who was he? Of the St. Georges's family, perhaps, of Auvergne!

ergne. A humble member, but

mo

N

ask a delicate question-but-but-did not the fami

told of it. It did not please my father to divulge the marriage to his

Georges-your father-a

ike myself. And ser

oubtless?" and once more he cast

have heard, more than commander an

p! To his influence you doubtless owe your commission, obtaine

said. He died in the sa

ore questioning-though, indeed, he bowed gravely at the question if his father had died in battle-monseigneur w

r child will sleep better at the 'Ours' than you will do here, since my accommodation is not of the first ord

say 'Good-night.' I propose to ride to-morrow at daybreak, and if possible to reach Bar by night. Though much I doubt doing s

you have, you know, a burden. You ca

ere is t

Georges. By the way, you have not to

dead wife to this strange bishop than he had when addressing either that simple woman or the landlady of the "Ours." But it had to be done-

h other dearly, but it pleased God to take her from me. She

, intending thereby to express sympathy with the othe

-was she, too, English,

of the bourgeoisie. Yet I loved her; she became my wife, and now-now"-and he looked meditatively down into the ashes of t

and while they waited fo

g-and Louvois also-are in correspondence with me on a political matter, which must not even be trusted to the post, nor to courier, nor messenger. Nay, we do not even write what we have to say, but, instead, correspond by words and signs. Now, yo

rvant. What is the

word

u-léger repeated. "The word

is a common message to both. And there is one other thing. The Marquise de Roquemaure is also concerned in this matter; she will

cision the other made s

t the word you

cise

ll rem

in, the bishop bade him

he circumstances. Also properly aired. For Monsieur St. Georges must sleep well to-night.

surlily-"to Troyes, eh? And at what hour does Monsieur St.

k," St. Geo

re, uncarpeted stairs, and so along a corridor until at the end the man opened a door and ushered the guest into a moderately sized room very sparsely furnished in all except the bed, which was large enough for three men to have slept in side by side. Next, lighting a taper which looked as though it might burn t

is is a pleasant hole for a man to find himself in." And throwing himself on the bed, and discovering that, as he drew the counterpane up about his shoulders, it was so short that it

rejoined his master, and, standing before him, was

op asked, as now he partook of

the other. "It has not left

efore, ride fo

he can, weathe

Roquemaure. Then you can deliver to him a message somewhat simila

s the m

he word 'Yes.' The message you will deliver to her son, whom you must see, is also 'Yes.' An

n. The words are: '

are the