Tina's voice was so moved as she spoke these words, that Nominoë was surprised, and involuntarily moved in his saddle in order to turn around to his wife. But once more she stopped him, saying: "I entreat you, do not look at me," and she proceeded after a short pause: "I am your wife--you must not be ignorant of any of my thoughts, be they good or bad. No! nothing must remain hidden from my husband." "A bad thought in your mind, you angelic creature! That is impossible. You surely exaggerate some trifle, my dear Tina." "And yet it is so, Nominoë. I doubted you--I doubted your love." "And why? And when was that?" "This morning, seeing you delayed in arriving, I said to myself: 'Nominoë does not want me for his wife'--'Nominoë does not love me'--" And noticing that an involuntary shudder ran over the young man's frame, Tina interjected, almost alarmed: "Do you feel hurt at my mistrust? I knew you would! I deserve your reproof. That is the very reason that I accuse myself. I prefer to be blamed by you, rather than to conceal aught from my husband. May the sincerity of my confession earn your pardon for me." The young man remained silent, surprised and struck by the correctness of Tina's presentiment. To himself he thought: "What a fatality hovers over this marriage! My union is consecrated before man, it will shortly be before God. Let me at least reassure the poor child." Nominoë was about to answer his young wife when an unexpected incident suddenly changed the course of his thoughts. His attention being at first turned to Tina's words, and being immediately afterwards absorbed in his own meditations, Nominoë had not noticed the approach of a detachment of soldiers that seemed to be hastening to meet the nuptial procession. Suddenly the captain of the troop waved to the peasants to stop. "Fire and flames! Let us face these red-coats!" said Tankeru to Salaun. "We are unarmed, and we have women and children with us," answered Salaun. "No imprudence--let us wait till the hour shall have come. I shall ride forward and ascertain what these soldiers want." "Father," said Nominoë overhearing Salaun's words, "I shall accompany you. You must not go alone." "You forget that you have your wife on your crupper. Both of you remain near Tankeru," answered Salaun, and making his horse jump forward, he rode towards the soldiers. Paskou the Long and Madok the miller, the one in his capacity of Baz-valan, the other of Brotaer, both official representatives of the wedding, joined Salaun Lebrenn. The three trotted briskly towards the armed force in order to ascertain the reason for the hold-up.