“I suppose it would be,” Desmond agreed, “though, for my part, I should be heartily glad if I never heard another word about it.”

“You are too modest altogether, Kennedy.  Whatever rumours may be current, concerning the young lady, there can be no doubt that you come out splendidly, in that you hear a cry of a woman in distress; you scale walls to get in to her assistance; you and your servant encounter five of her guards, kill four of them and bind the other; rescue the maiden, and carry her off, with flying colours, in the carriage of her abductor.  My dear Kennedy, you will become an object of admiration to all the ladies of the court.”

“That will be absolutely disgusting,” Desmond said, angrily.  “It is almost enough to make one wish that one had never interfered in the affair.”

“Pooh, pooh, Kennedy!  I am sure that either O’Sullivan or myself would give, I was going to say a year’s pay, though how one would exist without it I don’t know, to have been in your place.  Why, man, if you had captured a standard in battle, after feats of superhuman bravery, you would not attract half the attention that will fall to you as a consequence of this adventure.  Life in the court of His Most Christian Majesty is one of the most artificial possible.  The women hide their faces with powder and patches, lace themselves until they are ready to faint, walk with a mincing air, and live chiefly upon scandal; but they are women, after all, and every woman has a spice of romance in her nature, and such an adventure as yours is the very thing to excite their admiration.”

“I know nothing about women,” Desmond growled, “and don’t want to know any of them, especially the ladies at the court of Louis.”

“Well, of course, Kennedy, if the baron proclaims his wrongs, and publishes the circumstances of his daughter’s abduction and rescue, the seal of silence will be taken from our lips; especially as you will, almost to a certainty, be summoned to Versailles to confirm the lady’s story.”

“I am afraid that that will be so,” Desmond said, despondingly.  “However, it can’t be helped, and I suppose one must make the best of it.”

To most of the officers who dropped in, in the course of the day, to see Desmond and to enquire how he got his wound, he abstained from giving any particulars.  It was merely said that he and Callaghan were suddenly attacked, by five ruffians, whom they managed to beat off.  Much surprise was expressed that such attack should be made upon an officer and a soldier, on whom little plunder could be expected, and who would be sure to defend themselves stoutly.  Several, indeed, expressed some incredulity.

“We do not doubt for a moment, Kennedy, that you were attacked by five men, as you say, and that you routed them, but there must have been some motive for the attack.  These evening strolls of yours are suspicious, and I will warrant that there must have been a great deal at the bottom of it.  Now, can you deny that?”