It was not in such a fashion that I had thought to see my mission to
Canaples accomplished; I had dreamt of gratitude, and gratitude unbars the
door to much. Nevertheless, whether or not I earned it, I must return, and
succeed where for want of insistence I had failed awhile ago.
Of a certainty I should have acted thus, but that at the very moment upon
which I formed the resolution Abdon drew my attention to a dark shadow by
the roadside not twenty paces in front of us. This proved to be the
motionless figure of a horseman.
As soon as I was assured of it, I reined in my horse, and taking a pistol
from the holster, I levelled it at the shadow, accompanying the act by a
sonorous--
"Who goes there?"
The shadow stirred, and Michelot's voice answered me:
'T is I, Monsieur. They have arrived. I came to warn you."
"Who has arrived?" I shouted.
"The soldiers. They are lodged at the Lys de France."
An oath was the only comment I made as I turned the news over in my mind.
I must return to Canaples.
Then another thought occurred to me. The Chevalier was capable of going to
extremes to keep me from entering his house; he might for instance greet me
with a blunderbuss.
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