"It is nothing," smiled M. Beaucaire. Then, that she might not see the stain spreading, he held his handkerchief over the spot. "I am a little - but jus' a trifling - bruise'; 'tis all.""You shall ride in the coach," she whispered. "Will you be pleased, M. de Chateaurien?""Ah, my beautiful!" She seemed to wave before him like a shining mist. "I wish that ride might las' for al - ways! Can you say that, mademoiselle?""Monseigneur," she cried in a passion of admiration, "I would what you would have be, should be. What do you not deserve? You are the bravest man in the world!""Ha, ha! I am jus' a poor Frenchman."
"Would that a few Englishmen had shown themselves as 'poor' tonight.
The vile cowards, not to help you!" With that, suddenly possessed by her anger, she swept away from him to the coach.
Sir Hugh, groaning loudly, was being assisted into the vehicle.
"My little poltroons," she said, "what are you doing with your fellow-craven, Sir Hugh Guilford, there?""Madam," replied Molyneux humbly, "Sir Hugh's leg is broken. Lady Rellerton graciously permits him to be taken in.""I do not permit it! M. de Chateaurien rides with us.""But - "
"Sir! Leave the wretch to groan by the roadside," she cried fiercely, "which plight I would were that of all of you! But there will be a pretty story for the gossips to-morrow! And I could almost find pity for you when I think of the wits when you return to town. Fine gentlemen you; hardy bravos, by heaven! to leave one man to meet a troop of horse single-handed, while you huddle in shelter until you are overthrown and disarmed by servants! Oh, the wits! Heaven save you from the wits!""madam."
"Address me no more! M. de Chateaurien, Lady Rellerton and I will greatly esteem the honor of your company. Will you come?"She stepped quickly into the coach, and was gathering her skirts to make room for the Frenchman, when a heavy voice spoke from the shadows of the tree by the wayside.
"Lady Mary Carlisle will, no doubt, listen to a word of counsel on this point."The Duke of Winterset rode out into the moonlight, composedly untieing a mask from about his head. He had not shared the flight of his followers, but had retired into the shade of the oak, whence he now made his presence known with the utmost coolness.
"Gracious heavens, 'tis Winterset!" exclaimed Lady Rellerton.
"Turned highwayman and cut-throat," cried Lady Mary.
"No, no," laughed M. Beaucaire, somewhat unsteadily, as he stood, swaying a little, with one hand on the coach-door, the other pressed hard on his side, "he only oversee'; he is jus' a little bashful, sometime'. He is a great man, but he don' want all the glory!""Barber," replied the Duke, "I must tell you that I gladly descend to bandy words with you; your monstrous impudence is a claim to rank I cannot ignore. But a lackey who has himself followed by six other lackeys - ""Ha, ha! Has not M. le Duc been busy all this evening to justify me? And I think mine mus' be the bes' six. Ha, ha! You think?""M. de Chateaurien," said Lady Mary, "we are waiting for you.""Pardon," he replied. "He has something to say; maybe it is bes'
if you hear it now."
"I wish to hear nothing from him - ever!""My faith, madam," cried the Duke, "this saucy fellow has paid you the last insult! He is so sure of you he does not fear you will believe the truth. When all is told, if you do not agree he deserved the lashing we planned to - ""I'll hear no more!"
"You will bitterly repent it, madam. For your own sake I entreat - ""And I also," broke in M. Beaucaire. "Permit me, mademoiselle; let him speak.""Then let him be brief," said Lady Mary, "for I am earnest to be quit of him. His explanation or an attack on my friend and on my carriage should be made to my brother.""Alas that he was not here," said the Duke, "to aid me! Madam, was your carriage threatened? I have endeavored only to expunge a debt I owed to Bath and to avenge an insult offered to yourself through - ""Sir, sir, my patience will bear little more!""A thousan' apology," said M. Beaucaire. "You will listen, I only beg, Lady Mary?"She made an angry gesture of assent.
"Madam, I will be brief as I may. Two months ago there came to Bath a French gambler calling himself Beaucaire, a desperate fellow with the cards or dice, and all the men of fashion went to play at his lodging, where he won considerable sums. He was small, wore a black wig and mustachio. He had the insolence to show himself everywhere until the Master of Ceremonies rebuffed him in the pump-room, as you know, and after that he forbore his visits to the rooms. Mr. Nash explained (and was confirmed, madam, by indubitable information)that this Beaucaire was a man of unspeakable, vile, low birth, being, in fact, no other than a lackey of the French king's ambassador, Victor by name, de Mirepoix's barber. Although his condition was known, the hideous impudence of the fellow did not desert him, and he remained in Bath, where none would speak to him.""Is your farrago nigh done, sir?"
"A few moments, madam. One evening, three weeks gone, I observed a very elegant equipage draw up to my door, and the Duke of Chateaurien was announced. The young man's manners were worthy -according to the French acceptance - and 'twere idle to deny him the most monstrous assurance. He declared himself a noble traveling for pleasure. He had taken lodgings in Bath for a season, he said, and called at once to pay his respects to me.
His tone was so candid - in truth, I am the simplest of men, very easily gulled - and his stroke so bold, that I did not for one moment suspect him; and, to my poignant regret - though in the humblest spirit I have shown myself eager to atone - that very evening I had the shame of presenting him to yourself.""The shame, sir!"
