The lady shook her head; she was uncertain whether Count Vavel was making sport of her or of the pastor. But she understood him when she entered the church. The house consecrated to the service of God had become a hospital, and was crowded with wounded French soldiers. The women of the village, as volunteer nurses, were taking care of them, and performed the task as faithfully as if the invalids were their own sons and brothers. The pastor himself supplied the necessary medicines from his own cupboard; for no army surgeon came here at a time when twenty thousand wounded Frenchmen lay at Aspern, and twenty-two thousand at Wagram. "Is it not an affecting tableau, madame?" said Count Vavel. "It would be a suitable altar-piece for Notre Dame--and the name of its creator deserves perpetuation!" CHAPTER III Monsieur le Capitaine Descourcelles rode an excellent horse, was a capital rider, and was plainly very much in love. These three circumstances combined brought back the gallant soldier from Raab by five o'clock in the afternoon. The captain of the cuirassiers was not a little surprised to find the general's wife playing cards with the hostile leader. "General Guillaume agrees to everything," he announced immediately, on entering the room. "He will release the ladies he has been holding as prisoners." Vavel hastened to shake hands with the bearer of these glad tidings, who was, however, more eager to kiss the hand of Vavel's partner, and to inquire: "I hope I find the ladies perfectly comfortable?" "Very comfortable indeed," replied madame. "_Messieurs les Cannibales_ are very polite, and _leur Catzique_ plays an excellent hand at piquet." "And where is mademoiselle? I trust she is not suffering from the fatigue of the journey?" "Oh, no; she is very well. She is making her toilet, and will soon join us. I hope we shall leave here very soon." Madame now rose, and left the two soldiers alone in the room. "Here," observed the French captain, handing Vavel a paper, "is the _sauf conduit_." The pass contained the information that "Vavel de Versay, expatriated French nobleman and magnate of Hungary, together with the Countess Themire Dealba (alias Baroness Katharina Landsknechtsschild) and Sophie Botta (pretended Princess Marie Charlotte Capet), with attendants, were to be allowed to travel unmolested by any French troops they might chance to meet." Ludwig Vavel looked at this document a long time. "Do you doubt the assurance of a French officer, monsieur?" asked the captain. "No; I was just unable to understand why a word had been used here. I dare say it is a mistake. But no matter. I am greatly obliged to you." "Pray don't speak of it," responded the Frenchman, cordially shaking the hand Vavel extended toward him. "I must not forget to tell you that a four weeks' armistice was agreed upon to-day."