“The bullocks are ready for the butcher’s axe in the stalls at Durbelliere, please your reverence,” said Chapeau, who rode near enough to his master to take a part in the conversation as occasion offered.  “And the stone wine-jars are ready corked.  Momont saw to the latter part himself.  May the saints direct that the drinking have not the same effect upon our friends that the corking had on Momont, or there will be many sick head-aches in Coron on the next morning.”

“There will be too many of us for that, Jacques.  Five hundred throats will dispose of much good wine, so as to do but little injury.”

“That would be true, your reverence, were not some throats so much wider than others.  You will always see that one porker half empties the trough before others have moistened their snouts in the mess.”

“We will see to that, Jacques.  We will appoint some temperate fellow butler, or rather some strong-fisted fellow, whose thick head much wine will not hurt; though he may swill himself he will not let others do so.”

“If it were not displeasing to yourself and to M. Henri, I would undertake all that myself.  Each man of the five hundred should have his own share of meat and drink at Coron, and the same again at Doue.”

“Will not Jacques be with you?” said the priest, turning round to Henri.  “What should bring him to Coron among my men?”

“He says he has friends here in Echanbroignes, and he has begged that he may be here with them on the evening of the 6th, so as to accompany them into Coron on the 7th.  We shall all meet at Doue on the 8th.”

“I was thinking, your reverence, if any here were loiterers, as there may be some, I fear; or if there should be any ill inclined to leave their homes, my example might encourage them.  I have a liking for the village, and I should feel disgraced were a single able-bodied man to be found near it after the morning of the 7th.”

“I trust they will not need any one to remind them of their promise, when they have once pledged themselves to the service of their King,” said the priest.  “However, you will be, doubtless, useful to me at Coron.  But, Henri, what will you do without him?”

“Adolphe and I will be together, and will do well.  We shall have an absolute barrack at Durbelliere.  We shall have above one hundred men in the house.  Agatha and the women are at work night and day.”

“You have the worst part of the whole affair—­the ammunition.”

“It is all packed and ready for the carts; a few days since the cellars were half-full of the lead and iron, which we have been casting; they are now, I trust, half-way to Saumur, under Foret’s care.”

“How many men has he with him?” asked the priest.

“He has all the men from Clisson, from St. Paul’s and St. Briulph’s—­ except a few of Charles’ own tenants, who went on forward to join him at Doue, and who have our supply of flags with them, made in the chateau at Clisson.  Madame de Lescure and poor Marie have worked their fingers to the bone.”