“God will protect me,” Alixe repeated; “I have no fear.”
“I will send two of our Sisters with mademoiselle to nurse the poor Seigneur,” said Mere St. George.
I am sure Doltaire saw the move. “A great kindness, holy Mother,” he said politely, “and I will see they are well cared for. We will set forth at once. The Seigneur shall be brought to the Intendance, and he and his daughter shall have quarters there.”
He stepped towards the door where we were. I fell back into position as he came. “Gabord,” said he, “send your trusted fellow here to the General’s camp, and have him fetch to the Intendance the Seigneur Duvarney, who has been wounded. Alive or dead, he must be brought,” he added in a lower voice.
Then he turned back into the room. As he did so, Gabord looked at me inquiringly.
“If you go, you put your neck into the gin,” said he; “some one in camp will know you.”
“I will not leave my wife,” I answered in a whisper. Thus were all plans altered on the instant. Gabord went to the outer door and called another soldier, to whom he gave this commission.
A few moments afterwards, Alixe, Doltaire, and the Sisters of Mercy were at the door ready to start. Doltaire turned and bowed with a well-assumed reverence to the Mother Superior. “To-night’s affairs here are sacred to ourselves, Mere St. George,” he said.
She bowed, but made no reply. Alixe turned and kissed her hand. But as we stepped forth, the Mother said suddenly, pointing to me, “Let the soldier come back in an hour, and mademoiselle’s luggage shall go to her, your Excellency.”
Doltaire nodded, glancing at me. “Surely he shall attend you, Mere St. George,” he said, and then stepped on with Alixe, Gabord and the other soldier ahead, the two Sisters behind, and myself beside these. Going quietly through the disordered Upper Town, we came down Palace Street to the Intendance. Here Doltaire had kept his quarters despite his growing quarrel with Bigot. As we entered he inquired of the servant where Bigot was, and was told he was gone to the Chateau St. Louis. Doltaire shrugged a shoulder and smiled—he knew that Bigot had had news of his deposition through the Governor. He gave orders for rooms to be prepared for the Seigneur and for the Sisters; mademoiselle meanwhile to be taken to hers, which had, it appeared, been made ready. Then I heard him ask in an undertone if the bishop had come, and he was answered that Monseigneur was at Charlesbourg, and could not be expected till the morning. I was in a most dangerous position, for, though I had escaped notice, any moment might betray me; Doltaire himself might see through my disguise.