“You do not best show yourselves my friends in this. If you will please me, you will let M. de Proballe free. If I have forgiven him, cannot you?”
A shout of assent was the answer; and in a moment he was set at liberty; the two horses were brought up, and he and Dauban mounted, a wild burst of laughter at the figure which Dauban made being mingled in the cheers for Gabrielle and Malincourt.
De Proballe said not a word of thanks, and would not even look at Gabrielle; and as he passed close to Gerard it was with a scowl and an oath. Then he dug his heels into his horse’s flanks and rode out of the city and into the open country, closely followed by Dauban, who kept glancing timorously over his shoulder in fear of yet further trouble.
“I would not have had either of them hurt,” said Gabrielle, when Gerard joined her and they resumed the ride to the maison.
“A kindliness worthy of your gentle heart, Gabrielle. But I am differently cast, I fear. It would not have hurt him. He has stirred much dirty water in Morvaix, and if he had had to carry away a little of a different kind in his mouth and on his clothes it would have served him right. But he has had a good fright, and that’s something; and if you are glad no worse has chanced to him, why I am glad also. I would rather he had a dry skin than you be displeased.”
“It is best as it is, Gerard, although—it would have served him right;” and she laughed and added: “I could almost have wished we had not ridden up in time.”
“Nay, it gave the people a chance of seeing more evidence of your sweet nature, Gabrielle. How they cheered you! ’Twas a good-humoured crowd, too.”
“You have changed the temper of the people almost as if by the wave of a wizard’s wand.”
“Not I. ’Twas you they cheered. They know whom to thank. Your popularity is so great that you set me a difficult task to rival it.”
“How different from that angry sullen mob that faced the soldiers when we first met—and but little more than a week ago.” And in this easy happy fashion they chatted until Malincourt was reached.