"Unquestionably," said Claire; "but although I am not as learned in the art of war as Madame de Tourville, I had the impression that a place is not usually attacked until it has been summoned to surrender."
"What you say is perfectly true."
"Then you will send a flag of truce to Île Saint-Georges?"
"Most certainly!"
"Very well! I ask leave to carry the flag of truce."
Lenet's eyes dilated in surprise.
"You!" he said; "you! Why, have all our ladies become Amazons?"
"Gratify my whim, dear Monsieur Lenet."
"To be sure. The worst that can happen to us would be your taking Saint-Georges."
"It's agreed, then?"
"Yes."
"But promise me one thing."
"What is that?"
"That no one shall know the name or sex or rank of the flag of truce, unless her mission is successful."
"Agreed," said Lenet, giving Madame de Cambes his hand.
"When shall I start?"
"When you choose."
"To-morrow."
"To-morrow let it be."
"Good. See, Madame la Princesse and her son are just about going up on Monsieur le Président Lalasne's terrace. I leave my part in the triumph to Madame de Tourville. Pray excuse my absence to her Highness on the ground of indisposition. Bid the coachman drive me to the apartments assigned me. I will make my preparations, and reflect upon how I can best accomplish my mission, which naturally causes me some uneasiness, as it is the first of the kind I have ever undertaken, and everything in this world, they say, depends on one's beginning."
"Peste!" said Lenet. "I no longer wonder that Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld was upon the point of deserting Madame de Longueville for you; you are certainly her equal in many respects, and her superior in others."
"Possibly," said Claire. "I do not put the compliment aside altogether; but if you have any influence over Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld, dear Monsieur Lenet, I beg you to exert it to strengthen his devotion to his first flame, for his love terrifies me."
"We will do our best," said Lenet, with a smile. "This evening I will give you your instructions."
"You consent, then, to let me take Saint-Georges for you?"
"I must, since you wish it."
"And what about the dukes and the army?"
"I have in my pocket another means of bringing them hither."
Having given the address of Madame de Cambes to the coachman, Lenet smilingly took leave of her and returned to the princess.
II
On the day following Madame la Princesse's entry into Bordeaux, there was a grand dinner-party at Île Saint-Georges, Canolles having invited the principal officers of the garrison and the other governors of fortresses throughout the province.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, the hour appointed for the beginning of the repast, Canolles found himself surrounded by a dozen or more gentlemen, the majority of whom he then saw for the first time. As they described the great event of the preceding day, making sport of the ladies in Madame la Princesse's retinue, they bore but little resemblance to men about to enter upon what might be an obstinate conflict, and to whom the most momentous interests of the kingdom were intrusted.
Canolles, magnificent in his gold-laced coat, and with radiant face, set the example of gayety and animation. As dinner was about to be served, he said: —
"Messieurs, I beg your pardon, but there is still one guest missing."
"Who is it?" the young men asked, exchanging glances.
"The governor of Vayres, to whom I sent an invitation, although I do not know him, and who, just because I do not know him, is entitled to some indulgence. I beg, therefore, that you will pardon a delay of half an hour."
"The governor of Vayres!" exclaimed an old officer, accustomed to military regularity, and from whom the suggestion of delay brought forth a sigh, – "the governor of Vayres, if I mistake not, is the Marquis de Bernay; but he doesn't administer the government in person; he has a lieutenant."
"In that case," said Canolles, "if he doesn't come, his lieutenant will come in his place. He is himself undoubtedly at court, the fountain-head of favors."
"But, baron," said one of the guests, "it doesn't seem to me that he need be at court to secure promotion, for I know a certain commandant who has no reason to complain. Dame! captain, lieutenant-colonel, and governor, all within three months! That's a very pretty little road to travel, you must confess."
"And I do confess it," said Canolles, blushing, "and as I know not to whom to attribute such a succession of favors, I must, in good sooth, agree that there is some good genius in my household to bring me such prosperity."
"We have no question as to Monsieur le Gouverneur's good genius," said the lieutenant who received Canolles upon his arrival; "it is his merit."
"I do not deny the merit, far from it," said another officer; "I am the first to bear witness to it. But I will take the liberty of adding to it the patronage of a certain lady, the cleverest, most generous, most lovable of her sex, – after the queen, of course."
"No insinuations, count," rejoined Canolles, smiling at the last speaker; "if you have any secrets of your own, keep them for your own sake; if they concern your friends, keep them for your friends' sake."
"I confess," said an officer, "that when I heard a suggestion of delay, I supposed that our forgiveness was to be sought in favor of some gorgeous toilet. But I see that I was mistaken."
"Pray, do we dine without ladies?" asked another.
"Dame! unless I invite Madame la Princesse and her suite," said Canolles, "I hardly see whom we could have; besides, we must not forget, messieurs, that our dinner-party is a serious function; if we choose to talk business we shall bore nobody but ourselves."
"Well said, commandant, although the women do seem to be engaged in a veritable crusade against our authority at this moment; witness what Monsieur le Cardinal said in my presence to Don Luis de Haro."
"What did he say?" Canolles asked.
"'You are very fortunate! Spanish women think of nothing but money, flirting, and lovers, while the women of France refuse to take a lover now until they have sounded him on political questions; so that,' he added, despairingly, 'lovers pass their time discussing affairs of State.'"
"For that reason," said Canolles, "the present war is called the 'war of women;' a very flattering title for us."
At that moment, just as the half-hour's reprieve expired, the door opened, and a servant announced that Monsieur le Gouverneur was served.
Canolles requested his guests to follow him; but as the procession was about to start, another announcement was heard in the reception-room.
"Monsieur le Gouverneur de Vayres!"
"Ah!" said Canolles; "it's very kind of him."
He stepped forward to meet the colleague in whom he expected to find a stranger, but started back in amazement.
"Richon!" he cried; "Richon, governor of Vayres!"
"Myself, my dear baron," returned Richon, affably, but with his customary serious expression.
"Ah! so much the better! so much the better!" said Canolles, cordially pressing his hand. "Messieurs," he added, "you do not know him, but I do; and I say, emphatically, that it would be impossible to intrust an important appointment to a more honorable man."
Richon looked proudly about upon the guests, and as he detected no other expression in the looks which were bent upon him than polite surprise tempered with much good-will, he said: —
"My