"Decide; you have the choice,--death by hunger, or by guns. You've no time to lose; I hear the tramp of men--and there! precisely!--that's the general knocking at the gate." Sure enough, the knocker resounded; this time it was vigorously handled, as became the guest whose arrival it announced. "In company with Monsieur le marquis," said Loriot, "I will conquer my aversion, invincible as it is." "Good! then take that torch and go with me to meet my guests." "Your guests? Why, really, Monsieur le marquis, I can't believe--" "Come, come, _Thomas_ Loriot, you shall see first, and believe afterwards." And the Marquis de Souday, taking a torch himself, advanced to the portico. Bertha and Mary followed him; Mary thoughtful, Bertha anxious,--both looking earnestly into the shadows of the courtyard to see if they could discover any sign of the presence of him they were both thinking of. XXXII. THE GENERAL EATS A SUPPER WHICH HAD NOT BEEN PREPARED FOR HIM. According to the instructions of the marquis transmitted by Mary to Rosine, the gate was opened to the soldiers at the first rap. No sooner was this done than they filed into the courtyard and hastened to surround the house. Just as the old general was about to dismount he saw the two torchbearers on the portico, and beside them, partly in shadow, partly in the light, the two young girls. They all came toward him with a gracious, hospitable manner which greatly amazed him. "Faith! general," said the marquis, coming down the last step, as if to go as far as possible to meet the general. "I began to despair of seeing you, this evening at least." "You despaired of seeing me, Monsieur le marquis!" exclaimed the general, astonished at this exordium. "Yes, I despaired of seeing you. At what hour did you leave Montaigu,--at seven?" "At seven precisely?" "Well, that's just it! I calculated that it would take you about two hours to march here, and I expected you at nine or half-past, and here it is half-past ten. I was just wondering if some accident could have happened to deprive me of the honor of receiving so brave and gallant a soldier." "Then you expected me, monsieur?" "Why, of course, I did. I'll bet it was that cursed ford at Pont-Farcy which detained you. What an abominable country it is, general!--brooks that become impassible torrents from the slightest rain; roads--call them roads indeed! I call them bogs! How did you get over those dreadful springs of Baugé?--a sea of mud in which you are sure to flounder to the waist, and are lucky enough if it doesn't come over your head. But even that is nothing to the Viette des Biques. When I was a young fellow and a frantic hunter I used to think twice before risking myself over it. Really, general, I feel very grateful for this visit when I think what trouble and fatigue it has caused you."