"By force, then," said Madame de Tourville; "my dear friend, you are coming around to my plan."
"That's it," said the princess. "We will send Richon to besiege Saint-Georges; he is of the province, he knows the locality, and if any man can take this fortress which you deem of such importance, he is the man."
"Before resorting to that means," said Claire, "let me try the experiment, madame. If I fail, then you can do as you think best."
"What!" said the amazed princess, "you will go to Île Saint-Georges?"
"I will."
"Alone?"
"With Pompée."
"You have no fear?"
"I will go as a flag of truce, if your Highness will deign to intrust me with your instructions."
"Upon my word! this is a novelty!" cried Madame de Tourville; "for my own part I should say that diplomatists do not spring up like this, and that one must have gone through a long course of study of that science, which Monsieur de Tourville, one of the greatest diplomatists, as he was one of the greatest soldiers of his time, declared to be the most difficult of all sciences."