as I am to refuse admittance to such honourable gentlemen, still
I must do so."

"And for how long is this monstrous edict to remain in force?" the
leader of the party asked.

"That I am unable to say precisely, but I believe that I can open
them tomorrow morning."

"You see, we were right, count," another of the horsemen said. "The
description of the man who rode along here with two attendants
tallies with that of this Scot, and doubtless this order was
brought by him from Mazarin to enable him to get either by water
away abroad or to his chateau of la Villar."

"Well, gentlemen, at any rate we have done our best, and though we
must have slain the fellow if we had overtaken him, I cannot say
that I am altogether grieved that he has escaped. His name is well
known to everyone. He did brave service to France under Turenne
and Conde. We learned from the messenger who brought the letter
from Beaufort that he killed de Beauvais in fair fight, wounded de
Vipont, and disarmed the Comte de Marplat, that at night he and
five of his followers, though attacked by some thirty ruffians
from the faubourgs under Beaufort himself, killed twelve of them
outright, and that he himself seriously wounded the duke. Well,
there is nothing for us but to ride back to the village we last
passed through and wait there until tomorrow."

So saying, he mounted his horse and galloped off with his party.