Exclamations of surprise and anger arose on all sides.
“What is the meaning of this? Where is the Lord Constable? Has he deserted us?” cried several voices.
“He is on his way to the Franche-Comté,” replied Tansannes. “Instead of retiring to rest, he quitted the Château d'Herment at midnight, disguised, and attended only by Pomperant. His aim is to gain Saint-Claude with as much expedition as possible, and we are to join him there.”
This announcement caused great discontent among the young seigneurs, and they gave loud utterance to their anger.
“Pardieu! the Constable has done ill to desert us,” cried Peloux, “We would all have shed our last drop of blood for him. He had better have died with his friends than be captured ingloriously.”
“The Constable will never be taken alive,” said Tansannes.
“But he should not have left us without a word,” said Saint-Bonnet. “It looks as if he could not trust us.”
“He felt you would refuse to leave him,” said Tansannes.
“Why, so we should,” rejoined Desguières. “I, for one, would never have left him.”
“It was the conviction that a large escort must necessarily increase his risk, that caused him to abandon you,” said Tansannes. “But he trusts you will rejoin him at Saint-Claude. He confides his treasure to your charge.”