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THE HOUSE OF THE WOLF
Virgin。
Such was our visitor and neighbour； Raoul de Mar； Vidame de Bezers。
As he sat on the terrace； now eyeing us askance； and now paying
Catherine a compliment； I likened him to a great cat before which a
butterfly has all unwittingly flirted her prettiness。 Poor Catherine！ No
doubt she had her own reasons for uneasiness； more reasons I fancy than I
then guessed。 For she seemed to have lost her voice。 She stammered
and made but poor replies； and Madame Claude being deaf and stupid； and
we boys too timid after the rebuff we had experienced to fill the gap； the
conversation languished。 The Vidame was not for his part the man to put
himself out on a hot day。
It was after one of these pausesnot the first but the longest that I
started on finding his eyes fixed on mine。 More； I shivered。 It is hard
to describe； but there was a look in the Vidame's eyes at that moment
which I had never seen before。 A look of pain almost： of dumb savage
alarm at any rate。 From me they passed slowly to Marie and mutely
interrogated him。 Then the Vidame's glance travelled back to Catherine；
and settled on her。
Only a moment before she had been but too conscious of his presence。
Now； as it chanced by bad luck； or in the course of Providence； something
had drawn her attention elsewhere。 She was unconscious of his regard。
Her own eyes were fixed in a far…away gaze。 Her colour was high； her
lips were parted； her bosom heaved gently。
The shadow deepened on the Vidame's face。 Slowly he took his eyes
from hers； and looked northwards also。
Caylus Castle stands on a rock in the middle of the narrow valley of
that name。 The town clusters about the ledges of the rock so closely that
when I was a boy I could fling a stone clear of the houses。 The hills are
scarcely five hundred yards distant on either side； rising in tamer colours
from the green fields about the brook。 It is possible from the terrace to
see the whole valley； and the road which passes through it lengthwise。
Catherine's eyes were on the northern extremity of the defile； where the
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THE HOUSE OF THE WOLF
highway from Cahors descends from the uplands。 She had been sitting
with her face turned that way all the afternoon。
I looked that way too。 A solitary horseman was descending the steep
track from the hills。
〃Mademoiselle！〃 cried the Vidame suddenly。 We all looked up。 His
tone was such that the colour fled from Kit's face。 There was something
in his voice she had never heard in any voice beforesomething that to a
woman was like a blow。 〃Mademoiselle；〃 he snarled； 〃is expecting news
from Cahors； from her lover。 I have the honour to congratulate M。 de
Pavannes on his conquest。〃
Ah！ he had guessed it！ As the words fell on the sleepy silence； an
insult in themselves； I sprang to my feet； amazed and angry； yet astounded
by his quickness of sight and wit。 He must have recognized the Pavannes
badge at that distance。 〃M。 le Vidame；〃 I said indignantlyCatherine
was white and voiceless〃M。 le Vidame〃 but there I stopped and faltered
stammering。 For behind him I could see Croisette； and Croisette gave
me no sign of encouragement or support。
So we stood face to face for a moment； the boy and the man of the
world； the stripling and the ROUE。 Then the Vidame bowed to me in
quite a new fashion。 〃M。 Anne de Caylus desires to answer for M。 de
Pavannes？〃 he asked smoothly； with a mocking smoothness。
I understood what he meant。 But something prompted meCroisette
said afterwards that it was a happy thought； though now I know the crisis
to have been less serious than he fancied to answer； 〃Nay； not for M。 de
Pavannes。 Rather for my cousin。〃 And I bowed。 〃I have the honour
on her behalf to acknowledge your congratulations； M。 le Vidame。 It
pleases her that our nearest neighbour should also be the first outside the
family to wish her well。 You have divined truly in supposing that she
will shortly be united to M。 de Pavannes。〃
I supposefor I saw the giant's colour change and his lip quiver as I
spokethat his previous words had been only a guess。 For a moment the
devil seemed to be glaring through his eyes； and he looked at Marie and
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me as a wild animal at its keepers。 Yet he maintained his cynical
politeness in part。 〃Mademoiselle desires my congratulations？〃 he said；
slowly； labouring with each word it seemed。 〃She shall have them on the
happy day。 She shall certainly have them then。 But these are troublous
times。 And Mademoiselle's betrothed is I think a Huguenot； and has
gone to Paris。 Pariswell； the air of Paris is not good for Huguenots； I
am told。〃
I saw Catherine shiver； indeed she was on the point of fainting； I broke
in rudely； my passion getting the better of my fears。 〃M。 de Pavannes can
take care of himself； believe me；〃 I said brusquely。
〃Perhaps so；〃 Bezers answered； his voice like the grating of steel on
steel。 〃But at any rate this will be a memorable day for Mademoiselle。
The day on which she receives her first congratulationsshe will
remember it as long as she lives！ Oh； yes； I will answer for that； M。
Anne；〃 he said looking brightly at one and another of us； his eyes more
oblique than ever； 〃Mademoiselle will remember it； I am sure！〃
It would be impossible to describe the devilish glance he flung at the
poor sinking girl as he withdrew； the horrid emphasis he threw into those
last words； the covert deadly threat they conveyed to the dullest ears。
That he went then； was small mercy。 He had done all the evil he could
do at present。 If his desire had been to leave fear behind him； he had
certainly succeeded。
Kit crying softly went into the house； her innocent coquetry more than
sufficiently punished a