And him a heretic!" "It is the black art," the other answered, crossing herself.
"Maybe it is! But he will need it all to give that big man the slip to-day," replied the first speaker comfortably.
"That devil!" Margot exclaimed, pointing with a stealthy gesture of hate at the Vidame.

And then in a fierce whisper, with inarticulate threats, she told a story of him, which made me shudder.

"He did! And she in religion too!" she concluded.

"May our Lady of Loretto reward him." The tale might be true for aught I knew, horrible as it was! I had heard similar ones attributing things almost as fiendish to him, times and again; from that poor fellow lying dead on Pavannes' doorstep for one, and from others besides.

As the Vidame in his pacing to and fro turned towards us, I gazed at him fascinated by his grim visage and that story.