"Not if I order otherwise," was the response. "We shall travel in two sections, one of which will be in advance of the other at least two hours, consequently there will be ample distance between the knight and his lady, if that will please you." "Yes, but what will the old constable say?" asked Arnauld, aloud. "If he knows that I have had a hand in this transaction, he will hang me up at short notice!" "Why should he know? Why need any one know?" was the suggestion of the tempter. "You surely will not be the one to talk about it; and as surely your money will not tell whence it came--" "And the money would be forthcoming, eh?" asked Arnauld. "There will be half of it for you." "What a pity!" rejoined the squire; "for it would be a handsome sum, I fancy, and I don't imagine the father would haggle about it." "Is he a duke or a prince?" asked the archer. "He is a king, comrade, and is called Henri, the second of that name." "A daughter of the king here!" cried the Englishman. "Upon my soul, if you don't tell me at once where I can find the gentle dove, I shall feel obliged to strangle you, my good fellow! A daughter of the king!" "And a pearl of beauty too," said Arnauld. "Oho! My Lord Wentworth will lose his head over her," the archer replied. "Comrade," he added in a solemn tone, drawing forth his purse, and opening it before Arnauld's fascinated eyes, "this and its contents are yours in exchange for the name and abode of the fair one." "Done!" said Arnauld, unable to resist, and seizing the purse. "Her name?" asked the archer. "Diane de Castro, called Sister Bénie." "And her abode?" "The Benedictine convent." "I fly," cried the Englishman, disappearing. "That's all right," said Arnauld to himself, turning about to seek his master,--"that's all right; I shall not put this down on the constable's account." CHAPTER XXXVII LORD WENTWORTH Three days later, on the 1st of September, Lord Wentworth, governor of Calais, having received final instructions from his brother-in-law, Lord Grey, and having seen him off for England, mounted his horse and rode back to his hotel, where Gabriel and Jean Peuquoy were then quartered, as well as Diane, who was in another part of the house. Madame de Castro had no idea that her lover was so near; and in conformity with the promise given to Arnauld by Lord Grey's minion, she had not had the least opportunity of communicating with him after leaving St. Quentin.