compensate to her, were it only to redeem his honour.  He never even thought whether he loved her; he merely felt furious at the wrong he had suffered and been made to commit, and hotly bent on recovering what belonged to him.  He might even have plunged down among the ladies and claimed her as his wife, if the young Abbe de Mericour, who was two years older than he, and far less of a boy for his years, had not joined him in his agitated walk.  He then learnt that all the court knew that the daughter of the late Marquis de Nid-de-Merle, Comte de Ribaumont, was called by his chief title, but that her marriage to himself had been forgotten by some and unknown to others, and thus that the first error between the cousins had not been wonderful in a stranger, since the Chevalier’s daughter had always been Mdlle. de Ribaumont.  The error once made, Berenger’s distaste to Diane had been so convenient that it had been carefully encouraged, and the desire to keep him at a distance from court and throw him into the background was accounted for.  The Abbe was almost as indignant as Berenger, and assured him both of his sympathy and his discretion.

‘I see no need for discretion,’ said Berenger.  ’I shall claim my wife in the face of the sun.’

‘Take counsel first, I entreat,’ exclaimed Mericour.  ’The Ribaumonts have much influence with the Guise family, and now you have offended Monsieur.’

‘Ah!  Where are those traitorous kinsmen?’ cried Berenger.

’Fortunately all are gone on an expedition with the Queen-mother.  You will have time to think.  I have heard my brother say no one ever prospered who offended the meanest follower of the house of Lorraine.’

’I do not want prosperity, I only want my wife.  I hope I shall never see Paris and its deceivers again.’

’Ah!  But is it true that you have applied to have the marriage annulled at Rome?’

‘We were both shamefully deceivers.  That can be nothing.’

’A decree of his Holiness:  you a Huguenot; she an heiress.  All is against you.  My friend, be cautions, exclaimed the young ecclesiastic, alarmed by his passionate gestures.  ’To break forth now and be accused of brawling in the palace precincts would be fatal—­fatal—­most fatal!’

‘I am as calm as possible,’ returned Berenger.  ’I mean to act most reasonably.  I shall stand before the King and tell him openly how I have been tamperes with, demanding my wife before the whole court.’

’Long before you could get so far the ushers would have dragged you away for brawling, or for maligning an honour-able gentlemen.  You would have to finish your speech in the Bastille, and it would be well if even your English friends could get you out alive.’

‘Why, what a place is this!’ began Berenger; but again Mericour entreated him to curb himself; and his English education had taught him to credit the house of Guide with so much mysterious power and wickedness, that he allowed himself to be silenced, and promised to take no open measures till he had consulted the Ambassador.