'By your leave, my captain,' said their sergeant, 'except in time of
war, it is not permitted to lay hands on any one in sanctuary. It is
not within our discipline.'
D'Aubepine swore an oath that they would see what their Colonel said
to their insubordination; but the sergeant replied, not without some
malice:
'It falls within the province of the reverend Father.'
'I command you, then!' shrieked the Abbe, in a furry.
'Nay, Monsieur l'Abbe is not our officer,' said the sergeant,
saluting with great politeness.
'Madame,' cried Lamont, 'will you cause these men to be put to death
for disobedience to their officer?'
I scarcely believed him. And yet---
There was a sound at the outside.
'Make haste!' cried d'Aubepine. 'Here is the Prince come to see
whether he has won his wager.'
CHAPTER XXII
ST. MARGARET AND THE DRAGON
(By Annora)
A fine country to live in was la belle France, where a godly, modest,
discreet, and well-living widow could be spirited away by main force
from her sister and her servants, on the King's highway in broad
daylight, and by soldiers wearing the King's own uniform! 'In the
name of the Prince!' said they. Verily, I think it was in the name
of the Prince of darkness. They tore poor Meg from me, though we
both fought and struggled as hard as we could, in hopes of some one
coming to our rescue. Luckily my gloves were off, and I think I gave
a few tolerable scratches to somebody's face, in spite of his
abominable cache-nez.
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