after one visit paid to the convent at Bellaise, was always in hopes of making such another.  His boyish admiration of Madame de Selinville was his chief distraction, coming on in accesses whenever there was a hope of seeing her, and often diverting Berenger by its absurdities, even though at other times he feared that the lad might be led away by it, or dissension sown between them.  Meetings were rare—­now and then Madame de Selinville would appear at dinner or at supper as her father’s guest; and more rarely, the Chevalier would turn his horse’s head in the direction of Bellaise, and the three gentlemen would be received in the unpartitioned parlour, and there treated to such lemon cakes as had been the ruin of La Sablerie; but in general the castle and the convent had little intercourse, or only just enough to whet the appetite of the prisoners for what constituted their only variety.

Six weeks had lagged by before any answer from Paris was received, and then there was no reply from Walsingham, who had, it appeared, returned home immediately after King Charles’s funeral.  The letter from the Council bore that the Queen-mother was ready to accept the Baron de Ribaumont’s excuses in good part, and to consider his youth; and she had no doubt of his being treated with the like indulgence by the King, provided he would prove himself a loyal subject, by embracing the Catholic faith, renouncing all his illegitimate claims to the estates of Nid de Merle, and, in pledge of his sincerity, wedding his cousin, the Countess de Selinville, so soon as a dispensation should have been procured.  On no other consideration could he be pardoned or set at liberty.

‘Then,’ said Berenger, slowly, ’a prisoner I must remain until it be the will of Heaven to open the doors.’

‘Fair nephew!’ exclaimed the Chevalier, ’make no rash replies.  Bethink you to what you expose yourself by obstinacy; I may no longer be able to protect you when the King returns.  And he further went on to represent that, by renouncing voluntarily all possible claims on the Nid de Merle estates, the Baron would save the honour of poor Eustacie (which indeed equally concerned the rest of the family), since they then would gladly drop all dispute of the validity of the marriage; and the lands of Selinville would be an ample equivalent for these, as well as for all expectations in England.

‘Sir, it is impossible!’ said Berenger.  ‘My wife lives.’

‘Comment! when you wear mourning for her.’

’I wear black because I have been able to procure nothing else since I have been convinced that she did not perish at La Sablerie.  I was on my way to seek her when I was seized and detained here.’

‘Where would you have sought her, my poor cousin?’ compassionately asked the Chevalier.

’That I know not.  She may be in England by this time; but that she escaped from La Sablerie, I am well assured.’

’Alas! my poor friend, you feed on delusion.  I have surer evidence—­you shall see the man yourself—­one of my son’s people, who was actually at the assault, and had strict orders to seek and save her.  Would that I could feel the least hope left!’