The governor took it, and read it through; then he turned to the Count, who was standing motionless a few paces in the rear, made him a slight bow, and addressed him in a dry voice, and with a rough accent. "Your servant, sir," he said to him: "are you the Count de Barmont, whose name is written on this paper?" "Yes, sir," the Count answered, bowing in his turn. "I am sorry, sir, truly sorry," the Major resumed; "but I have strict orders with reference to you, and a soldier only knows his duty; still, believe me, sir, hum, hum, that I shall try to reconcile my natural humanity with the rigour that is recommended to me, hum, hum, I know how gentlemen ought to behave to each other, sir; be assured of that." And the governor, doubtless satisfied at the speech he had just uttered, smiled, and drew himself gracefully up. The Count bowed, but made no answer. "You shall be conducted to your apartment at once, sir," the Major went on; "hum, hum! I wish it was handsomer, but I did not expect you; hum, hum, and you know how things are--hum, hum, we will manage to lodge you more comfortably hereafter; la Berloque," he added, turning to a soldier standing near the door, "conduct this gentleman, hum, hum, to room No. 8, in the second turret; hum, hum, I believe it is the most habitable one; your servant, sir, your servant, hum, hum!" And after having thus unceremoniously dismissed the Count, the Major went into another room. M. de Barmont, accompanied by Bouillot and the guards, who had brought him, followed the soldier. The latter led them through several passages, and up various stairs, and then stopped before a door, garnished with formidable bolts. "It is here," he said. The Count then turned to Bouillot, and affectionately offered him his hand. "Farewell, my old friend," he said to him in a gentle but firm voice, while a vague smile played round his lips. "Farewell, till we meet again," Bouillot said, with a stress on the words. Then he took leave of him, and withdrew, with his eyes full of tears. The door closed with a mournful sound on the prisoner. "Oh!" the old servant muttered, as he pensively went down the turret stairs, "Woe to those who venture to oppose the Count, if ever he leaves his prison again! And he shall do so, I swear it, even if I must risk my life in securing his escape." CHAPTER V. A BACKWARD GLANCE. The family of the Count de Barmont Senectaire was one of the most ancient and noble in Languedoc; their origin went back to an antiquity so remote, that we may declare without fear of contradiction that it was lost in the mist of ages. A Barmont Senectaire fought at Bouvines by the side of Philip Augustus. The chronicle of Joinville mentions a Barmont Senectaire, knight banneret, who died of the plague at Tunis, in 1270, during the second crusade of King Louis IX.