questions, sprinkling the babe with water, and baptizing her by the
hereditary name of Berangere, the feminine of the only name
Eustacie had always declared her son should bear. Such baptisms
were not unfrequently performed by French nurses, but Eustacie
exclaimed with a sound half dismay, half indignation.

'_Eh quoi_!' said Perrine, 'it is only _ondoyee_. You can have all
the ceremonies if ever time shall fit; but do you think I could
leave my Lady's child--mere girl though it be--alone with owls, and
_follets_, and REVENANTS, and heretics, and she unbaptized? She
would be a changeling long ere morning, I trow.'

'Come, good woman,' said Rotrou, from between the trusses of hay at
the entrance; 'you and I must begin our Colin-Mail-lard again, or
it may be the worse for us both.'

And with the promise of being conducted to Eustacie again in three
nights' time, if she would meet her guide at the cross-roads after
dark, Perrine was forced to take her leave. She had never
suspected that all this time Maitre Gardon had been hidden in the
refectory below, and still less did she guess that soon after her
departure the old man was installed as her Lady's chief attendant.
It was impossible that Nanon should stay with Eustacie; she had her
day's work to attend to, and her absence would have excited
suspicion. He, therefore, came partly up the stairs, and calling
to Nanon, proffered himself to sit with '_cette pauvre_,' and make
a signal in case Nanon should be wanted. The good woman was thus
relieved of a great care. She would not have dared to ask it of
him, but with a low reverence, she owned that it was an act of
great charity towards the poor lady, who, she hoped, was falling