And she waited. The conflict of emotions, the strife between hope and
fear, the final defeat had stunned her; had left her exhausted, almost
apathetic. Yet not quite, nor wholly. For when in his walk he came a
little nearer to her, a chill perspiration broke out on her brow, and
shudderings crept over her; and when he passed farther from her--and then
only, it seemed--she breathed again. But the change lay beneath the
surface, and cheated the eye. Into her attitude, as she sat, her hands
clasped on her lap, her eyes fixed, came no apparent change or shadow of
movement.
Suddenly, with a dull shock, she became aware that he was speaking.
"There was need of haste," he said, his tone strangely low and free from
emotion, "for I am under bond to leave Paris to-morrow for Angers,
whither I bear letters from the King. And as matters stood, there was no
one with whom I could leave you. I trust Bigot; he is faithful, and you
may trust him, Madame, fair or foul! But he is not quick-witted.
Badelon, also, you may trust. Bear it in mind. Your woman Javette is
not faithful; but as her life is guaranteed she must stay with us until
she can be securely placed. Indeed, I must take all with me--with one
exception--for the priests and monks rule Paris, and they do not love me,
nor would spare aught at my word."
He was silent a few moments. Then he resumed in the same tone, "You
ought to know how we, Tavannes, stand. It is by Monsieur and the Queen-
Mother; and contra the Guises. We have all been in this matter; but
the latter push and we are pushed, and the old crack will reopen. As it
is, I cannot answer for much beyond the reach of my arm. Therefore, we
take all with us except M. de Tignonville, who desires to be conducted to
the Arsenal."
She had begun to listen with averted eyes. But as he continued to speak
surprise awoke in her, and something stronger than surprise--amazement,
stupefaction. Slowly her eyes came to him, and when he ceased to speak-"Why do you tell me these things?" she muttered, her dry lips framing the
words with difficulty.
"Because it behoves you to know them," he answered, thoughtfully tapping
the table. "I have no one, save my brother, whom I can trust."
She would not ask him why he trusted her, nor why he thought he could
trust her. For a moment or two she watched him, while he, with his eyes
lowered, stood in deep thought. At last he looked up and his eyes met
hers.