“It would be easy to throw you both over the cliff, but I love you too well. I have proved that by making toys for your children.”
It was as cordial to me to watch their faces. They both drew away from the cliff, and grasped their firearms apprehensively.
“My God,” said Bamboir, “those toys shall be burned to-night. Alphonse has the smallpox and Susanne the croup—damned devil!” he added furiously, stepping forward to me with gun raised, “I’ll—”
I believe he would have shot me, but that I said quickly, “If you did harm to me you’d come to the rope. The Governor would rather lose a hand than my life.”
I pushed his musket down. “Why should you fret? I am leaving the chateau to-morrow for another prison. You fools, d’ye think I’d harm the children? I know as little of the devil or La Jongleuse as do you. We’ll solve the witcheries of these sounds, you and I, to-night. If they come, we’ll say the Lord’s Prayer, and make the sacred gesture, and if it goes not, we will have one of your good priests to drive out this whining spirit.”
This quieted them much, and I was glad of it, for they had looked bloodthirsty enough, and though I had a weapon on me, there was little use in seeking fighting or flight till the auspicious moment. They were not satisfied, however, and they watched me diligently as we came on to the chateau.
I could not bear that they should be frightened about their children, so I said:
“Make for me a sacred oath, and I will swear by it that those toys will do your children no harm.”
I drew out the little wooden cross that Mathilde had given me, and held it up. They looked at me astonished. What should I, a heretic and a Protestant, do with this sacred emblem? “This never leaves me,” said I; “it was a pious gift.”
I raised the cross to my lips, and kissed it.