"But certainly! Who would refuse anything to the brave men who have saved France! You will excuse the coolness of your reception, Monsieur le colonel? We have had other guests--less welcome." The colonel thought of the broken chain on the gate. "Marie!" This to the old woman who stood by the door, shading the candle in her hand, incongruous in this luxurious apartment. "Place the large dining-room at the disposition of _messieurs les officiers_. The kitchen also." She turned again to the colonel. "I can offer only ten bedrooms to your officers, Monsieur le colonel, but doubtless they can arrange themselves. The stables are large, there are three barns and a disused mill, and there is a loft at the top of the house. I hope you will find room for all your men. There is plenty of straw in the barns. They may use it freely. Please consider the house entirely at your disposition." And all this time the eyes were talking wordlessly. And his, although he knew it not, were replying. "You are too kind, madame!" "It is a happy privilege, Monsieur le colonel!" His business was finished, yet he felt curiously unwilling to go, much though awaited him to do. His apology seemed addressed as much to his own hidden inner self as to her. "Mille remerciments, madame! You will excuse me if I withdraw? My men are very tired. Once more, a thousand thanks, madame----?" She answered his unuttered question, a smile lighting up eyes and face. "--La comtesse de Beaupré et Lysboisée." He bowed. "Le colonel Victor de Montévrault." She held out a slender hand. Involuntarily, almost, he touched it with his lips as he took it in his own. She did not stir. He did not see her face. "Au revoir, madame, et tous mes remerciments!" "Au revoir, monsieur," she answered in her rich, deep voice. He felt her eyes upon him as he turned to follow Marie, candle in hand, once more through the series of dark apartments. A little later and the château and its precincts were thronged with the soldiers of the three war-worn battalions as they installed themselves for the night. From the great yard between the stables and the barns came the glow of cooking fires. But not for all was the hour of rest arrived. In a little room of the château the colonel, with his three _chefs de bataillon_ of whom one only was a major, was poring over a large-scale map and indicating the positions for the lines of sentries, outposts and _grand'gardes_. Up the opposite side of the ravine to that which they had ascended, well in advance across the high open ground, and down the valley road he posted them. On the three battalion commanders the greatest vigilance was enjoined. Ahead of them there should be French cavalry, but those were the days of flux and reflux in the meeting tides of war, and all things were possible.