They say the wars are over, but"-- and the good man, shrugging his shoulders, cast an expressive glance at some fine flitches of bacon which were hanging in his chimney.

"However, your lordships know better than I do," he added briskly.

"I am a poor man.
I only wish to live at peace with my neighbours, whether they go to mass or sermon." This was a sentiment so common in those days and so heartily echoed by most men of substance both in town and country, that we did not stay to assent to it; but having received from the worthy fellow a token which would insure our obtaining fresh cattle at Limoges, we took to the road again, refreshed in body, and with some food for thought.
Five-and-twenty attendants were more than even such a man as Bezers, who had many enemies, travelled with in those days; unless accompanied by ladies.

That the Vidame had provided such a reinforcement seemed to point to a wider scheme than the one with which we had credited him.
But we could not guess what his plans were; since he must have ordered his people before he heard of Catherine's engagement.

Either his jealousy therefore had put him on the alert earlier, or his threatened attack on Pavannes was only part of a larger plot.