'But who told thee that to talk of my father's books would get him
into trouble?' continued the boy, as they still stood together on
the high heavy wooden chair.
She tossed her pretty head, and pretended to pout.
'Was it Diane? I will know. Didst thou tell Diane?'
Instead of answering, now that his attention to the key was
relaxed, Eustacie made a sudden dart, like a little wild cat, at
the back of the chair and at the key. They chair over-balanced;
Beranger caught at the front drawer of the cabinet, which, unlocked
by Eustacie, came out in his hand, and chair, children, drawer, and
curiosities all went rolling over together on the floor with a
hubbub that brought all the household together, exclaiming and
scolding. Madame de Ribaumont's displeasure at the rifling of her
hoards knew no bounds; Eustacie, by way of defence, shrieked 'like
twenty demons;' Beranger, too honourable to accuse her, underwent
the same tempest; and at last both were soundly rapped over the
knuckles with the long handle of Madame's fan, and consigned to two
separate closets, to be dealt with on the return of M. le Baron,
while Madame returned to her embroidery, lamenting the absence of
that dear little Diane, whose late visit at the chateau had been
marked by such unusual tranquility between the children.
Beranger, in his dark closet, comforted himself with the shrewd
suspicion that his father was so employed as not to be expected at
home till supper-time, and that his mother's wrath was by no means
likely to be so enduring as to lead her to make complaints of the
prisoners; and when he heard a trampling of horses in the court, he
anticipated a speedy release and summons to show himself to the
visitors. He waited long, however, before he heard the pattering
of little feet; then a stool scraped along the floor, the button of
his door was undone, the stool pushed back, and as he emerged,
Eustacie stood before him with her finger to her lip. 'CHUT,
Beranger! It is my father and uncle, and Narcisse, and, oh! so many
gens d'armes. They are come to summon M. le Baron to go with
them to disperse the preche by the Bac de l'Oie. And oh,
Beranger, is he not there?'
'I do not know. He went out with his hawk, and I do not think he
could have gone anywhere else. Did they say so to my mother?'
'Yes; but she never knows. And oh, Beranger, Narcisse told me--ah,
was it to tease me?--that Diane has told them all they wanted to
know, for that they sent her here on purpose to see if we were not
all Huguenots.