"Nay, nay; be not so cruel! Could ye not put him--gently--in--with somewhat weighty?" She must have been thinking on the subject in detail; for she was not one to whom ideas came quickly. All was speedily agreed, except the time of payment. The mail-clad itched for it, and sought it in advance. Manon demurred to that. What, did she doubt their word? then let her come along with them, or watch them at a distance. "Me?" said Manon, with horror. "I would liever die than see it done." "Which yet you would have done." "Ay, for sore is my need. Times are changed." She had already forgotten her precept to Denys. * * * * * An hour later the disagreeable relic of caterpillar existence ceased to canker the worshipful matron's public life, and the grim eyes of the past to cast malignant glances down into a white hind's clover field. Total. She made the landlord an average wife, and a prime house-dog, and outlived everybody. Her troops, when they returned from executing with mediæval naïveté the precept "Off wi' the auld love," received a shock. They found the market-place black with groups; it had been empty an hour ago. Conscience smote them. This came of meddling with the dead. However, the bolder of the two, encouraged by the darkness, stole forward alone, and slily mingled with a group: he soon returned to his companion, saying, in a tone of reproach not strictly reasonable, "Ye born fool, it is only a miracle." CHAPTER XLII LETTERS of fire on the church wall had just inquired, with an appearance of genuine curiosity, why there was no mass for the duke in this time of trouble. The supernatural expostulation had been seen by many, and had gradually faded, leaving the spectators glued there gaping. The upshot was, that the corporation, not choosing to be behind the angelic powers in loyalty to a temporal sovereign, invested freely in masses. By this an old friend of ours, the curé, profited in hard cash; for which he had a very pretty taste. But for this I would not of course have detained you over so trite an occurrence as a miracle. Denys begged for his arms, "Why disgrace him as well as break his heart?" "Then swear on the cross of thy sword not to leave the Bastard's service until the sedition shall be put down." He yielded to necessity, and delivered three volleys of oaths, and recovered his arms and liberty.