Page:A courier of fortune (1904).djvu/374

354 "I am a soldier, mademoiselle," answered Dubois, and there is news of some fighting yet to be done. My place is with Bourbon's army."

"Ours will be a Bourbon army, too, friend."

"I beg you, my lord, urge me no more. I have arranged the matters on which we spoke. The mercenaries who were in the late Governor's troops have for the most part been enrolled in the companies that march to-morrow, and so many of the Bourbon men as you desired have taken their places. But your force will be chiefly Morvaix men—a sort of citizens' army; and to command such a force is no more to my liking than it is fitted to my powers. I should but cause you infinite trouble by being constantly at loggerheads with your burghers."

"You take them too seriously, captain. They are worthy men," said Gabrielle.

"As men most worthy, doubtless, mademoiselle; as talkers, unsurpassed in France, I think; but I am a plain soldier."

"I should like details of your arrangements now they are completed, Dubois. Come into the house and give them to me. Denys may well assist at the conference, for he will now be high in my esteem and confidence. Come, Denys—if Lucette will spare you to me."

Denys flushed with pleasure, and Lucette smiled.

"What a wonderful change in everything, Gabrielle," she exclaimed when the three men had left them. "How happy you look. And what a little cheat you were."

"I? When?"

"Innocent! Why the day after M. Gerard met you in the market-place. When you said that if for a moment you had swerved from thoughts of duty, a night's reflection had sobered you. Sobered you! Intoxicated you, you should have said."

"I did not know that Gerard was" Lucette broke in with a merry laugh, and Gabrielle blushed.