Montigny, you have not stolen together to the
church? -- but this is in the street; come in."

Claude tied his courser to a young maple that grew
near the door; and, whilst he was doing so, the
advocate retired within, murmuring: "Montigny,
Seigneur Montigny, this is your work, and yet may
prove the dearest piece of petty larceny that ever
man committed; as dear as would have been to have
furnished the dower you refused me. No;" he con-
tinued musing, "trouble does not spring from out of
the ground. Then whence comes this? Who hates
me?" he continued sharply; "Covets her? Whom
would her absence serve? who, except the father of
yon boy, the Sieur Montigny?" and he had scarcely
finished his soliloquy when he was rejoined by Claude,
who, straightway in the obscurity of the library,
related to him the adventure of the night.

The old man listened in silence, but his bosom
heaved, and when Claude had ceased, he grasped
him by the hand and exclaimed:

"Montigny, we are bound together in that girl,
the outrage upon whom has made us rivals in the
task to find and rescue her. Yet are you sure the
voice you heard was her's? You did not see her
carried off; you only heard, or thought you heard,
her cry. You may have been deceived. Hasten back
to Stillyside. She may be there now sleeping be-
tween the unruffled sheets, making them sweeter
than the perfuming lavender; -- if she be not -- why
then -- alas! what then?" And he struck his palm
against his brow, holding it there, perplexed, revolving.

"You say you heard your name pronounced?" he
enquired at length.

[[93]]

p092 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p093w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p094

v?