Pascal, to whom devilment in any form was welcome enough, entered readily into the spirit of the adventure, and agreed instantly. Together they obtained such apparel as was necessary, and returned to Malincourt together. “I hope the old rat, de Proballe, won’t recognize me,” said Pascal. “I once won some three hundred crowns from him, and they say he never forgets a man who has beaten him with the dice box.” “I am full of anxiety over this, Pascal; for Heaven’s sake avoid every chance of a mishap,” replied Gerard earnestly. “I’ll keep out of his way. Have no fear for me. Lest he should know my voice, I’ll play the dumb man.” “No, no, not that. No buffoonery, on any account.” “Well, then, you can say I have taken a vow of silence on account of the past trippings of my tongue. The reason would be true enough.” “There is need for nothing of the kind. Keep in the background with your eyes and ears open and your lips closed; shun the women as you would the plague, and all will be well. Especially, shun the women.” The handsome young fellow laughed. “I’ll shun them, if they be not too pretty; but there are limits, Gerard. I haven’t touched a pair of lips since I’ve been in the city; although I must say a monk’s cowl gives rare opportunities. Were I not a soldier, on my faith I think I’d be a monk.” Gerard was received at the maison with such ceremony as became a person of his consequence. Gabrielle and her uncle greeted him: Gabrielle with such smiles and gladness that Pascal ceased to wonder at his enthusiasm for his new rôle; and de Proballe with many significant shrugs and looks and equivocal phrases. The rest hailed him as the chosen husband of their beloved mistress; and the story of his bravery and prowess in the rescue of Denys having spread, they welcomed him with acclamation. Pascal, as their new lord’s servant, would also have been made much of; and seeing many ruddy lips and bright eyes among the women, he would gladly enough have responded had not Gerard’s injunctions of caution been still strong upon him. He feigned fatigue, therefore, and asked to be shown at once to Gerard’s apartments; and going there, he at once fell into much deeper waters than any which could have threatened him in any other part of the house. The apartments were close to the room where Denys lay with Lucette in attendance. Denys was better; but when he had been told that his preserver was no other than Gerard de Cobalt, he had taken the news very strangely and had broken out into a torrent of abuse of him. Then he had gone on to tell Lucette things which, added to what she had heard from Jacques Dauban on the previous evening, had frightened her profoundly.