"I would do it upon the instant, madame," said Lenet, "if I were sure of bringing you good news."
"Oh! as for good news," said the princess, with an ironical glance, apparently directed to the glorious blue sky over her head, "I hardly expect anything of the sort. We are not in a lucky vein."
"Madame," said Lenet, "you know that I am not easily deceived; I am very much mistaken, however, if all this noise does not mean that something favorable has happened."
Indeed the joyous character of the constantly increasing uproar, and the appearance of an excited multitude at the end of the street, with arms and handkerchiefs waving in the air, convinced the princess herself that what she was about to hear must be good news. She listened therefore with an eager attention which made her forget for a moment the desertion of her admirers, and distinguished these words:—
"Braune! the governor of Braune! the governor's a prisoner!"
"Aha!" said Lenet, "the governor of Braune a prisoner! That's not half bad. In him we have a hostage whom we can hold to answer for Richon."
"Have we not the governor of Île Saint-Georges?" said the princess.
"I am very happy," said Madame de Tourville, "that my plan for taking Braune has succeeded so well."
"Madame," said Lenet, "let us not flatter ourselves yet upon so complete a victory; chance mocks at the plans of man, sometimes even at the plans of woman."
"But; monsieur," retorted Madame de Tourville, bristling up as usual, "if the governor is taken, the place must be taken."