’Alas! no, Noemi; this is no child of Theodore’s.  His wife shared his martyrdom.  It is I who am escaped alone to tell thee.  But, nevertheless, this babe is an orphan of that same day.  Her father was the son of the pious Baron de Ribaumont, the patron of your husband, and of myself in earlier days.’

‘Ah!’ exclaimed Noemi, startled.  ’Then the poor young mother—­is she—­can she be the lost Demoiselle de Nid de Merle?’

’Is the thing known here?  The will of Heaven be done; but she can send to her husband’s kindred in England.’

’She might rest safely enough, if others beside myself believed in her being your son’s widow,’ said Noemi.  ’Wherefore should she not be thought so?’

’Poor Esperance!  She would willingly have lent her name to guard another,’ said Master Gardon, thoughtfully; ’and, for the sake of the child, my little lady may endure it.  Ah! there is the making of a faithful and noble woman in that poor young thing.  Bravely, patiently, cheerfully, hath she plodded this weary way; and, verily, she hath grown like my own daughter to me—­as I never thought to love earthly thing again; and had this been indeed my Theodore’s child, I could hardly care for it more.’

And as he related how he had fallen in with the forlorn Lady of Ribaumont, and all that she had dared, done, and left undone for the sake of her little daughter, good Noemi Laurent wept, and agreed with him that a special providence must have directed them to his care, and that some good work must await one who had been carried through so much.  His project was to remain here for a short time, to visit the flock who had lost their pastor on the day of the massacre, and to recruit his own strength; for he, too, had suffered severely from the long travelling, and the exposure during many nights, especially since all that was warm and sheltered had been devoted to Eustacie.  And after this he proposed to go to La Rochelle, and make inquiries for a trusty messenger who could be sent to England to seek out the family of the Baron de Ribaumont, or, mayhap, a sufficient escort with whom the lady could travel; though he had nearly made up his mind that he would not relinquish the care of her until he had safely delivered her to her husband’s mother.

Health and life were very vigorous in Eustacie; and though at first she had been completely worn out, a few days of comfort, entire rest, and good nursing restored her.  Noemi dressed her much like herself, in a black gown, prim little white starched ruff, and white cap,—­a thorough Calvinist dress, and befitting a minister’s widow.  Eustacie winced a little at hearing of the character that had been fastened upon her; she disliked for her child, still more than for herself, to take this bourgeois name of Gardon; but there was no help for it, since, though he chief personages of the town were Huguenot, there could be no safety for her if the report were once allowed to arise that the Baronne de Ribaumont had taken refuge there.