"I am dying," she cried; "they have killed him!"
The heavy footfall of a man was heard in the antechamber. Francine
went out and returned with a corporal. The man, making a military
salute to Mademoiselle de Verneuil, produced some letters, the covers
of which were a good deal soiled. Receiving no acknowledgment, the
Blue said as he withdrew, "Madame, they are from the commandant."
Mademoiselle de Verneuil, a prey to horrible presentiments, read a
letter written apparently in great haste by Hulot:--
"Mademoiselle--a party of my men have just caught a messenger from
the Gars and have shot him. Among the intercepted letters is one
which may be useful to you and I transmit it--etc."
"Thank God, it was not he they shot," she exclaimed, flinging the
letter into the fire.
She breathed more freely and took up the other letter, enclosed by
Hulot. It was apparently written to Madame du Gua by the marquis.
"No, my angel," the letter said, "I cannot go to-night to La
Vivetiere. You must lose your wager with the count. I triumph over
the Republic in the person of their beautiful emissary. You must
allow that she is worth the sacrifice of one night. It will be my
only victory in this campaign, for I have received the news that
La Vendee surrenders. I can do nothing more in France. Let us go
back to England--but we will talk of all this to-morrow.
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