I stood and looked at her and it; and slowly I froze. She had given me the packet--the packet I had restored to Mademoiselle--the parcel of jewels. I weighed it in my hands, and my heart grew hard again, for I knew that this was Mademoiselle’s doing; that it was she who, mistrusting the effect of Madame’s tears and prayers, had armed her with this last weapon--this dirty bribe. I flung it down on the table among the plates. ‘Madame!’ I cried ruthlessly, all my pity changed to anger, ‘you mistake me altogether! I have heard hard words enough in the last twenty-four hours, and I know what you think of me! But you have yet to learn that I have never done one thing. I have never turned traitor to the hand that employed me, nor sold my own side! When I do so for a treasure ten times the worth of that, may my hand rot off!’ She sank on a seat with a moan of despair; and precisely at that moment M. de Cocheforet opened the door and came in. Over his shoulder I had a glimpse of Mademoiselle’s proud face, a little whiter than of yore, with dark marks under the eyes, but like Satan’s for coldness. ‘What is this?’ he said, frowning, as his eyes lighted on Madame. ‘It is--that we start at eleven o’clock, Monsieur,’ I answered, bowing curtly. And I went out by the other door. . . . . . That I might not be present at their parting I remained in the garden until the hour I had appointed was well past; and then, without entering the house, I went to the stable entrance. Here I found all in readiness, the two troopers whose company I had requisitioned as far as Auch, already in the saddle, my own two knaves waiting with my sorrel and M. de Cocheforet’s chestnut. Another horse was being led up and down by Louis, and, alas! my heart moved at the sight, for it bore a lady’s saddle. We were to have company then. Was it Madame who meant to come with us, or Mademoiselle? And how far? To Auch? I suppose that they had set some kind of a watch on me, for as I walked up M. de Cocheforet and his sister came out of the house; he with a pale face and bright eyes, and a twitching visible in his cheek--though he still affected a jaunty bearing; she wearing a black mask. ‘Mademoiselle accompanies us?’ I said formally. ‘With your permission, Monsieur,’ he answered with bitter politeness. But I saw that he was choking with emotion; he had just parted from his wife, and I turned away. When we were all mounted he looked at me. ‘Perhaps--as you have my parole, you will permit me to ride alone?’ he said with a little hesitation. ‘And--’ ‘Without me!’ I rejoined keenly. ‘Assuredly, so far as is possible.’