"If you have any such thought as that," he retorted, "I will very quickly disabuse you of it."
And, kneeling on one knee, he handed her the poniard.
"It is well," she said, withdrawing her hand, which he tried to kiss. "I forgive you, as a guest whom I do not desire to humiliate; but that is all, I assure you; and as for this wretched blade, if I keep it, I do so not for love of you, but to prevent the evil that it might do."
They were then at the foot of the donjon, where they met the marquis and Monsieur de Beuvre, engaged in earnest conversation.
Lauriane was about to tell them what had happened, but her father did not give her time.
"Look you, my dearest daughter," he said, taking her hand and putting it through the marquis's arm; "our friend wishes to tell you a secret, and while he is telling it, I will do my best to entertain Monsieur de Villareal. You see," he added, addressing Monsieur de Bois-Doré, "I entrust my lamb to you without fear of your sharp teeth, and I say nothing to her to lower you in her estimation! Speak to her therefore as you choose. If you are burned, I wash my hands of it, it will be of your own seeking."
"I see," said Madame de Beuvre to the marquis, "that you have some request to make."
And as she supposed that it referred, as usual, to some hunting party on his estates, she added that, whatever it might be, she granted it beforehand.
"Beware, my child!" laughed Monsieur de Beuvre; "you don't know what you are pledging yourself to!"
"You do not frighten me," she replied; "he can speak quickly."