Only Parabere, in fact, rose quite
superior to the notion, laughed at their fears, and drank to
their better spirits; and, making the best of the situation, as
became an old soldier, presently engaged me in tales of the war--
fought again the siege of Laon, and buried men whose bodies bad
lain for ten years under the oaks at Fontaine Francoise.
Talk of this kind, which we still maintained after we had
despatched our supper, was sufficiently engrossing to erase
Boisrueil's fancies entirely from my mind. They were recalled by
his sudden entrance, with Colet at his elbow, the faces of both
full of importance. I saw that they had something to say, and
asked what it was.
"We have been examining the back gate, M. le Marquis," Colet
said.
"Well, man?"
"It is barricaded, and cannot be opened," he answered.
"Well," I said again, "there is nothing wonderful in that.
Anyone can see that there has been rough work here. The front
gate was stormed, I suppose, and the back one left standing."
"But if is so barricaded that it is not possible to open it," he
objected.
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