The weeping was gentle, not violent; and Dame Rotrou thought it did good rather than harm.  She was chiefly anxious to be quit of Perrine, who, however faithful to the Lady of Ribaumont, must not be trusted to learn the way to this Huguenot asylum, and must be escorted back by Rotrou ere peep of dawn.  The old woman knew that her own absence from home would be suspicious, and with many grumblings submitted; but first she took the child from Eustacie’s reluctant arms, promising to restore her in a few moments, after finishing dressing her in the lace-edged swaddling bands so carefully preserved ever since Eustacie’s own baby hood.  In these moments she had taken them all by surprise by, without asking any questions, sprinkling the babe with water, and baptizing her by the hereditary name of Berangere, the feminine of the only name Eustacie had always declared her son should bear.  Such baptisms were not unfrequently performed by French nurses, but Eustacie exclaimed with a sound half dismay, half indignation.

‘Eh quoi!’ said Perrine, ’it is only ondoyee.  You can have all the ceremonies if ever time shall fit; but do you think I could leave my Lady’s child—­mere girl though it be—­alone with owls, and follets, and REVENANTS, and heretics, and she unbaptized?  She would be a changeling long ere morning, I trow.’

‘Come, good woman,’ said Rotrou, from between the trusses of hay at the entrance; ’you and I must begin our Colin-Mail-lard again, or it may be the worse for us both.’

And with the promise of being conducted to Eustacie again in three nights’ time, if she would meet her guide at the cross-roads after dark, Perrine was forced to take her leave.  She had never suspected that all this time Maitre Gardon had been hidden in the refectory below, and still less did she guess that soon after her departure the old man was installed as her Lady’s chief attendant.  It was impossible that Nanon should stay with Eustacie; she had her day’s work to attend to, and her absence would have excited suspicion.  He, therefore, came partly up the stairs, and calling to Nanon, proffered himself to sit with ‘cette pauvre,’ and make a signal in case Nanon should be wanted.  The good woman was thus relieved of a great care.  She would not have dared to ask it of him, but with a low reverence, she owned that it was an act of great charity towards the poor lady, who, she hoped, was falling into a tranquil sleep, but who she would hardly have dared to leave.  The pastor, though hardships, battles, and persecutions had left him childless, had been the father of a large family; and perhaps he was drawn the more strongly towards the mother and child, because he almost felt as if, in fulfilling the part of a father towards the widow of Berenger de Ribaumont, he was taking her in the stead of the widow of his own Theodore.