“Reine, our aim was to rescue you, and I followed the commander. Father Elzear is at Maison-Forte with Raimond V.”
“But now I am free, will you not return with me to my father?”
“Return with you? No, Reine, I must remain with the commander. To-morrow, no doubt, I will see you. I bid you a tender farewell, Reine. Farewell, farewell.”
“With what a serious air you bid me farewell, Honorât,” cried the young girl, struck with the chevalier’s solemn expression. “But there is no danger, they will not attack the pirates; what good can be done by remaining here?”
“No, doubtless they will not fight,” said Honorât, with embarrassment “The commander only wishes to assure the departure of these wretches.”
Pierre des Anbiez, having given his orders, approached Reine and took her by the hand, as he said: “Come, hasten, my child; embark at once, the sun is sinking. Luquin Trinquetaille will take you on board his polacre, and before to-morrow morning you will be in the arms of your father.”
Then addressing the captain of the Holy Terror to the Moors, who was darting furious glances at the Bohemian because this vagabond never took his eyes from Stephanette, and affected to speak to her in a low voice, the commander said: “With your life you will answer for Mlle, des Anbiez. Depart this instant. Conduct her to Maison-Forte with the other young girls and her attendant. The men will remain and reinforce the crew of my galley. Come, farewell, Reine, embrace me, my child; say to my brothers that I hope to take them by the hand to-morrow.”
“You hope, uncle,—pray, what danger is there?”
“The sun is setting, embark at once,” said the commander, without replying to the question of his niece, as he led her to the boat which was to conduct her to the polacre.
While Reine exchanged a last look with Honorât, the Bohemian, still insolent and satirical, approached Luquin, holding Stephanette’s hand in spite of her resistance, and said to him: “I give you this pretty girl, my boy; marry her in all confidence. Alas! my poor little thing, I must resign you. I will remember all your tenderness.”