CHAPTER II.
THE VIDAME'S THREAT.
Croisette used to tell a story, of the facts of which I have no remembrance, save as a bad dream.

He would have it that I left my pallet that night--I had one to myself in the summer, being the eldest, while he and Marie slept on another in the same room--and came to him and awoke him, sobbing and shaking and clutching him; and begging him in a fit of terror not to let me go.

And that so I slept in his arms until morning.

But as I have said, I do not remember anything of this, only that I had an ugly dream that night, and that when I awoke I was lying with him and Marie; so I cannot say whether it really happened.
At any rate, if I had any feeling of the kind it did not last long; on the contrary--it would be idle to deny it--I was flattered by the sudden respect, Gil and the servants showed me.

What Catherine thought of the matter I could not tell.