‘I do not know of their going,’ said Agathe, confused and overborne by his eagerness.

‘Curb yourself, sir,’ said the Prioress, ’they will recollect themselves and tell you what they can.

‘It was the little cakes with lemoned sugar,’ suggested the younger girl.  ’Maitre Tressan always said there would be a judgment on us for our daintiness.  Ah! he was very cross about them, and after all it was the Maitre of Lucon who ate fifteen of them all at once; but then he is not a heretic.

Happily for Berenger, Agathe unraveled this speech.

’Mademoiselle Gardon made the sugar-lemoned cakes, and the Mayor of Lucon, one day when he supped with us, was so delighted with them that he carried one away to show his wife, and afterwards he sent over to order some more.  Then, after a time, he sent secretly to my father to ask him if Maitre Gardon was there; for there was a great outcry about the lemon cakes, and the Duke of Alencon’s army were coming to demand his daughter-in-law; because it seems she was a great lady, and the only person who could make the cakes.

‘Agathe!’ exclaimed the Prioress.

‘I understand,’ said Berenger.  ’The Cure of Nissard told me that she was traced through cakes, the secret of which was only known at Bellaise.

‘That might be,’ said Mere Monique.  ’I remember there was something of pride in the cakes of Bellaise, though I always tried to know nothing of them.

‘Well, little one, continue,’ entreated Berenger.  ’You are giving me life and hope.

‘I heard my father and mother talk about it,’ said Agathe, gaining courage.  ’He said he knew nothing of great people, and would give nobody up to the Catholics, but as to Maitre Isaac, he should let him know that the Catholic army were coming, and that it would be the better for us if we had no pastor within our walls; and that there was a cry that his daughter’s lemon cakes were made by the lady that was lost.

’And they escaped!  Ah! would that I could thank the good man!

’Surely yes, sir, I never saw them again.  Maitre Tressan the elder prayed with us.  And when the cruel soldiers came and demanded the lady and Maitre Isaac, and all obstinate Calvinists, our mayor and my father and the rest made answer that they had no knowledge of the lady, and did not know where Maitre Gardon was; and as to Huguenots, we were all one as obstinate as the other, but that we would pay any fine within our means so they would spare our lives.  Then the man in the fine coat said, it was the lady they wanted, not the fine; and a great deal he said besides, I know not what but my father said, ‘It is our life’s blood that they want,’ and he put on his breastplate and kissed us all, and went away.  Then came horrible noises and firing of cannon, and the neighbours ran in and said that the enemy were battering down the old crumbly bit of wall where the monastery was burnt; and just then our man Joseph ran back all pale, and staring , to tell us my father was lying badly hurt in the street.  My mother hurried out, and locked the door to keep us from following.