Still Berenger’s natural courtesy stood in his way.  He could not help being respectful and attentive to the old Chevalier, when their terms were, apparently at least, those of host and guest; and to a lady he COULD not be rude and repellant, though he could be reserved.  So, when the kinsfolk met, no stranger would have discovered that one was a prisoner and the others his captors.

One August day, when Madame de Selinville and her lady attendants were supping at the castle at the early hour of six, a servant brought in word that an Italian pedlar craved leave to display his wares.  He was welcome, both for need’s sake and for amusement, and was readily admitted.  He was a handsome olive-faced Italian, and was followed by a little boy with a skin of almost Moorish dye—­and great was the display at once made on the tables, of

   ’Lawn as white as driven snow,
    Cyprus, black as e’er was crow;
    Gloves as sweet as fragrant posies,
    Masks for faces and for noses;’

and there was a good deal of the eager, desultory bargaining that naturally took place where purchasing was an unusual excitement and novelty, and was to form a whole evening’s amusement.  Berenger, while supplying the defects of his scanty traveling wardrobe, was trying to make out whether he had seen the man before, wondering if he were the same whom he had met in the forest of Montipipeau, though a few differences in dress, hair, and beard made him somewhat doubtful.

’Perfumes?  Yes, lady, I have store of perfumes:  ambergris and violet dew, and the Turkish essence distilled from roses; yea, and the finest spirit of the Venus myrtle-tree, the secret known to the Roman dames of old, whereby they secured perpetual beauty and love —­though truly Madame should need no such essence.  That which nature has bestowed on her secures to her all hearts—­and one valued more than all.’

‘Enough,’ said Diane, blushing somewhat, though with an effort at laughing off his words; ‘these are the tricks of your trade.’

’Madame is incredulous; yet, lady, I have been in the East.  Yonder boy comes from the land where there are spells that make known the secrets of lives.’

The old Chevalier, who had hitherto been taken up with the abstruse calculation—­derived from his past days of economy—­how much ribbon would be needed to retrim his murrey just-au-corps, here began to lend an ear, though saying nothing.  Philip looked on in open-eyed wonder, and nudged his brother, who muttered in return, ‘Jugglery!’

‘Ah, the fair company are all slow to believe,’ said the pedlar.  ‘Hola, Alessio!’ and taking a glove that Philip had left on the table, he held it to the boy.  A few unintelligible words passed between them; then the boy pointed direct to Philip, and waved his hand northwards.  ’He says the gentleman who owns this glove comes from the North, from far away,’ interpreted the Italian; then as the boy made the gesture of walking in chains, ’that he is a captive.’