"Monsieur de Chavigni! or I am mistaken," said De Blenau. "But I know that I can trust to your honour, and therefore must say, that though my late illness may have rendered me an outlaw, by detaining me in France after my sentence of exile, yet I will not regret it, as it has given me the opportunity of serving the man to whom I am indebted for my life.--There, Sir, is my hand."
Chavigni embraced him warmly. "Let us look to the men who are wounded, Monsieur de Blenau," said he, "and then I will give you a piece of news which, however painful to me, will be satisfactory to you.--Cannot some one strike a light, that we may examine more carefully what has occurred on this unhappy spot; for I see many on the earth."
"It shall be done in the turning of a spit, Monseigneur," said Jacques Chatpilleur, who had already collected some dry wood; and who now quickly produced a fire by means of the flint of a pistol.
The scene that presented itself was a sad one. On the earth lay two of Chavigni's servants dead, and one desperately wounded. To these was added Henri de La Mothe, who had received a severe cut on the head, and was stunned with the blow. Not far from the body of the Norman lay his companion Callot, who was the pikeman despatched by the bellicose _aubergiste_. In addition to these was a robber, whose head had been nearly severed from his body by the cutlas which was borne by Philip the woodman, in his capacity of Lieutenant of the King's forests; and one so severely wounded by a pistol-ball from the hand of Chavigni, that his companions had been obliged to abandon him. From him they learned that the attack upon Chavigni had been preconcerted; that understanding he was bending his steps towards Montpellier, Marteville had obtained exact information of his course; and finding that he must pass through the forest by Viviers, had laid in wait for him, with the expectation both of revenge and plunder.
"And now, Monsieur de Blenau," said Chavigni, as soon as their investigation ended, "whither does your immediate path lay? You know you can trust me."
"I do," said De Blenau. "I go first towards Viviers, to the Chateau of the late Marquis de Beaumont."
"And I go there too," said Chavigni. "I am even now expected; for I sent forward a servant to announce my coming."