210 ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S EVE

soon as the queen is up I will see that she is acquainted with
your coming. Allow me to introduce myself first, Gaston de
Rebers. Breakfast is ready in this cottage, and we were
about to sit down when we saw you riding up. I shall be
glad if you will share it with us. These are my comrades,
Messieurs Duvivier, Harcourt, and Parolles.” He then
called a sergeant. :

“Sergeant, see that Monsieur Fletcher’s servant and men-
at-arms have a good meal.”

“I think they must want it,” Philip said. “ They have
been so busy in my service that I doubt if they have eaten
since breakfast yesterday. I myself supped well, thanks to
the courtesy of Monsieur D’Estanges, who was good enough to
send up an excellent capon and a bottle of wine to my cell.”

“You know Monsieur D’Estanges?” Gaston de Rebers
asked courteously. “He is a gentleman of high repute, and
though connected with the Guises he is said to be opposed
to them in their crusade against us.”

“I had only the honour of meeting him yesterday,” Philip
said, as they sat down to table; “but he behaved like a true
gentleman, and did me the honour of being my second in an
unfortunate affair into which I was forced.”

“Who was your opponent, may I ask, sir?”

“Count Raoul de Fontaine.”

“A doughty swordsman! Gaston de Rebers exclaimed ‘
“but one of our bitterest opponents in this province. You
are fortunate indeed to have escaped without a serious wound,
for he has been engaged in many duels, and but few of his
opponents have escaped with their lives.”

“He will neither persecute you nor fight more duels,” Philip
said quietly; “for I had the misfortune to kill him.”

The others looked at him with astonishment.

“Do I understand rightly, Monsieur F letcher, that you have
slain Raoul de Fontaine in a duel?”

“That is the case,” Philip replied. “ Monsieur D’ Estanges,
as I have said, acted as my second, Count Louis de Fontaine
acted for his cousin.”

“You will pardon my having asked you the question again,”
De Rebers said; “but really it seemed well-nigh impossible