The Huguenot Bartholomew Dupuy and his descendants

STORY OF A HUGUENOT'S SWORD. 129
A careless observer would have said that a soldier chap. i.
armed to the teeth, and a handsome lady's page in ~J^
gala costume, had laid a wager who could eat and Flight
drink the most in a given time.
to the
^^°°*^®''-
Dupuy from moment to moment raised his head,
paused in his devouring attack upon the viands,
and listened. Nothing was heard but the sobbing
of the wintry wind through the evergreens and
oaks ; darkness and desolation seemed to reign over
the wide land and in the chateau.
At last Dupuy rose. Standing thus in the rays
of the single lamp he presented a striking spectacle.
He was clad in his uniform as king's guardsman,
and in his belt was thrust the short triangular
sword which we have so frequently referred to; beside
it were secured in the same manner three or
four heavy pistols. Slung behind, beneath his
cloak, was the bag of gold paid to him by Agoust.
As he thus rose to his feet the sound of hoofs was
heard at the back window.
Dupuy looked cautiously out, and made a sign
of satisfaction.
"It is Rayonnet," he said, in a low tone; "all is
ready."
And drawing the Countess with his arm, he took
a last look at the portraits of his ancestors, and
hastily descended to the court-yard.
"Make haste. Seigneur," whispered the old grayheaded
groom. "I thought I heard horses' hoofs in
the direction of the village."
"Ah! the dragoons? Was there a clatter?"
"Yes, yes. Seigneur ! Make haste ! I hear them
coming plainly!"
Dupuy raised the Countess into the saddle with
a single movement, and vaulted on his own animal,
which was a black of great size and strength.
"Yes," said Dupuy, "now I hear them too. I hear
Agoust's voice, the hound! He has betrayed me!
But we have the start! Rayonnet, if you would
follovv me, come to Amsterdam; you know the
way—we were there ! together There's ! gold Come !"