The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-09-23
CHAPTER III.
THE ROAD TO PARIS.

Ihe sun naQ not yeI TlSeH dpoNc e110
hills when we three, with single serv-
ant behind us, drew rein at the end of;
the valley, and easing our horses on the
ascent turned in the saddle to take q
last look at Caylus-at the huddled
gray town, and the towers above 1t.
A little thoughtful we all were, think.
The times were rough and our errand
was serious. But youth and early morn
ing are fine dispellers of care; and once
on the uplands, we trotted gayly for
ward, now passing through wide glades
IN the sparse oak forest, where the trees
oil leaned one way, now over bare, wind
swept downs; or once and again de-
scending into chally bottom, where
the stream bubbled through deep beds
of fern, and lonely farmhouse nes-
tied amid orchards.
Four hours riding, and we saw be-
low us Cahors filling the bend OF the
river. We cantered over the Vallandre
bridge, which there crosses the Lot,
and SO to ny uncle's house OF call in
the square. Here we ordered break
fast, and announced with pride that
we were going to Paris.
Our host raised his hands. "Now
there!" he exclaimed, regret in his
voice. "And if you had arrived yester-
day you could have Travelled up with
Vidame de Beers! And you a small
party-saving ybur lordships' presence
and the roads but so-so!"
"But the vidame was riding with
only half dozen attendants also!" l
answered, fiicking my boot in a care
less way.
The landlord shook his head. "Ah.
M. le Vidame knows the world!' he
answered, shrewdly. He is not to be
taken off his guard, not he! One of
his men whispered me that 20 stanch
fellows would join him at Chateauroux.
They say the wars are over, but"
and the good man, Struggling his shoul-
ders, cast an expressive glance at some
fine fiitches OF bacon which were hang
ing in his chimney. However, your
lordships know better than l do" he
added, briskly. II am poor man.
only wish to live at peace with my
neighbors, whether they go to mass or
sermon"
This was O sentiment so common in
those days and so heartily echoed by
most men of substance both In town
and country that we did not stay to
assent to 1t; but having received from
the worthy fellow token which would
insure our obtaining fresh cattle at
Limoges, we took to the road again.
refreshed in body, and with some food
for thought.
Five-and-twenty attendants were
more than even such o man as Beers,
who had many enemies, travelled with
in those days; unless accompanied by
ladies. That the vidame had provided
such reinforcement seemed to point
to q wider scheme than the one with
which we had credited him. But we
could not guess what his plans were;
since he must have ordered his people
before he heard of GATHERINGS engage
! ment. Either his jealousy therefore
had put him on the alert earlier, or
his threatened attack on Pavannes
was only q part of n larger plot. In
either case our errand seemed more
urgent, but scarcely more hopeful.
The varied sights and sounds how
ever of the road-many OF them new
to us--kept us from dwelling over
much on this. Our eyes were young,
and whether it was pretty girl lin
s gering behind troop of gypsies, or q
pair of strollers from Valencia-jong
leurs theystill called themselves-sing-
ing in the old dialect of Provence, OF
Norman horse dealer with his string
of cattle tied head and tall, or the Puy
de Dome to the eastward over the
Auvergne hills, or tattered old soldier
wounded in the wars-fghting fol
. either side, according as their lord
ships inclined-we were pleased will
all.
Yet we never forgot our errand. We
never, I think, rose in the morning
too oftens stiff and sore-without think
ing: To-day or tomorrow or the mex
/ day"-as the case might be-''wt
, shall make all right for Xiii" Fol
/ Kit! Perhaps it was the purest en-
] thusiasm we were ever to feel, the leas
selfish aim we were ever to pursue
7 For Kit!
r Meanwhile we met travellers of RAM
a ON the road. Half the nobility o
. France were still In Paris enjoying til
i festivities which Were being held +
+ mark the royal marriage. We OF
V tanned horses where we needed ther
4 without difficulty. And though W
: had heard much of the dangers Of Ia
|. way, infested as II was said to be b
{ disbanded troopers, we were not ono
d stopped or annoyed.
( r But 1t Is not my intention to chvoS
L Sole nll the events Of this my first joul
1. ney, though / dwell on them with pleas
a ure; or to say what thought Of til
n towns, oil new and strange to M
% through which we passed. Enoug
q that we went by way OF Limoge
y ChateaurOux and Orleans, and that 9
Chateauroux we learned the failure {
h. one hope we had formed. We hn
o thought that Beers when Joined thel
D by his troopers would not be able to g.
O. relays; ana that on this account v
4 might by travelling post oVertake hlu
IL and possibly slip by him between th'
,e nlace and Paris. But we learned