"Let Urbain come to us, and I will not ask you to let me go away again." The marquis knit his brows and tried to distract Blanche by offering her several pretty trifles which he had brought from Paris; but these presents were no better received than the first, and did not even evoke a smile from the young girl. In the evening Blanche and the marquis again walked in the park. Villebelle, more in love than ever, recalled the barber's counsels and promised himself the conquest of his captive, but when he was near Blanche, he felt all his resolutions vanish. One look from the lovely child put a curb on his desire, though it penetrated to the depth of his heart, and Villebelle said to himself,-- "By what magic does this young girl inspire me with a respect that is stronger than my love?" Blanche, rendered confiding by her innocence, was seated at the entrance of a grotto which was surrounded by thick shrubbery. The marquis placed himself beside her. For a long time he remained silent, tenderly watching her. Then he took Blanche in his arms and was about to cull a kiss from her charming mouth, when she turned her supplicating eyes towards him, saying,-- "In pity, monseigneur, let me go." Without knowing why he did so, he allowed the lovely girl to escape from his arms. He remained alone in the grotto; Blanche, experiencing a novel fear of the marquis, had fled, and the latter, cursing his weakness, returned to the chateau, vowing that he would no longer tremble before a child. Julia and her companion had arrived at Sarcus and had seen the marquis enter the chateau. Chaudoreille had only fallen three times on the way, but he asserted that that was because his horse had been frightened. However, he complained greatly of fatigue, to which his companion appeared insensible, as she scrutinized the chateau which the marquis had entered, and its high towers illuminated by the sun. "This is where he went, then," said the young Amazon, guiding her horse close against the walls. "Yes, signora, there's not the least doubt that he went there, since we have seen him go in," answered Chaudoreille, who had alighted from his horse, where he was not comfortable. "That's the Chateau de Sarcus, according to what a peasant told me." "It is, in faith, a very fine castle. My ancestors had ten or a dozen like that; but they played for one every evening at piquet, and you know that luck is not always favorable. But ugh! how tired I am, this palfrey trotted so hard." "And within these walls Blanche is shut up." "That's very probable. By jingo! but we came at a good pace, and at the present time I would defy the best jockey in France." "How shall we know on which side this young girl is?" "I think it's first necessary to know where we can get some breakfast; you must be terribly fatigued, signora." "I don't feel in the least tired, the hope of vengeance has doubled my strength."