Our horses stood saddled; indeed, some of my men were already mounted--for I was not minded to disband them until Beaugency was reached--and my two coaches were both ready for the journey.

The habits of a lifetime are not so easy to abandon even when Necessity raises her compelling voice.
I was in the act of settling my score with the landlord when of a sudden there were quick steps in the passage, the clank of a rapier against the wall, and a voice--the voice of Castelroux--calling excitedly "Bardelys! Monsieur de Bardelys!" "What brings you here ?" I cried in greeting, as he stepped into the room.
"Are you still for Beaugency ?" he asked sharply, throwing back his head.
"Why, yes," I answered, wondering at this excitement.
"Then you have seen nothing of Saint-Eustache and his men ?" "Nothing." "Yet they must have passed this way not many hours ago." Then tossing his hat on the table and speaking with sudden vehemence: "If you have any interest in the family of Lavedan, you will return upon the instant to Toulouse." The mention of Lavedan was enough to quicken my pulses.

Yet in the past two days I had mastered resignation, and in doing that we school ourselves to much restraint.

I turned slowly, and surveyed the little Captain attentively.

His black eyes sparkled, and his moustaches bristled with excitement.