Plessis, however, put his finger on his large nose, saying, “Her breakfast will be taken to her in her chamber, Miladi.  There are mysteries in all things, as you well know.  Now here you are; and there are nine or ten gentlemen meet at my house every night, from whom I am obliged to hide that you are in the place at all.  Here is this young lady, whom, it seems, I should have concealed from you in the same way:  only I could not refuse to let you see her and speak to her yesterday, in order that you might be kind to her on board the ship; for she is to go in the ship with you, you know, and she seems quite helpless, and not accustomed to all these things.  When the worthy gentlemen found that the ship was not to sail last night, they were in great embarrassment, and charged me strictly not to let her see any one till the ship sailed; and I find they have put a man to watch on both sides of the house, so that no one can go out or come in without being seen.  They told me nothing about it; and that was uncivil; but, however, I must keep her to her own room; for the man that they left in the house, with my consent, to keep guard over her, watches sharply also.”

The elder lady said nothing, but the colour of the younger heightened a good deal at this detail, and she started up indignantly as soon as Plessis had finished, exclaiming, “Nonsense, sir.  I never heard of such a thing!—­You, a man of honour and gallantry,” she continued, with a gay smile, such as had once been common to her countenance, passing over it for a moment—­“you, a man of honour and gallantry, Monsieur Plessis, consenting to see a lady discourteously used and maltreated in your house, and a stranger put as a spy upon you in your own dwelling.  Fie!  For shame!  I never heard of such a thing!  I shall go immediately to her, with your compliments, and ask her to come to breakfast.  And let me see if this spy upon you will dare to stop me.”

“Oh no, Miladi,” replied Plessis, “he is not a spy upon me; but I said myself I would have nothing to do with the young lady being detained; that it was no part of my business, and should not be done by my people; that they might have the rooms at the west corner of the house if they liked, but that I would have nothing to do with it.  I beseech you, dear lady,” he continued, seeing Caroline moving towards the door—­“I beseech you, do not meddle; for this is a very dangerous and bad business, and I fear it will end ill, Nay, nay!” and springing towards the door, he placed himself between it and the lady, bowing lowly, with his hand upon his heart, and exclaiming, “Humbly on my knees I kiss your beautiful feet, and beseech you not to meddle with this bad business.”

“A very bad business, indeed,” said Caroline; “and it is for that very reason that I am going to meddle, Monsieur Plessis.  Do me the favour of getting out of my way.  I thought you were a man of gallantry and spirit, Monsieur Plessis.—­I am determined; so there is no use in opposing me.”