CHAPTER XXVI
AT THE CITY GATES
GERARD'S judgment that the unexpected position at Malincourt would be found much too formidable to be dismissed with a curse and a threat was quite correct.
The Governor was furiously angry, and as sternly resolved as ever to carry his purpose through; nothing should be suffered to come between him and it; but the last few hours had revealed certain obstacles to the importance of which even his selfish rage could not blind him.
He had had convincing proof that in threatening Gabrielle he would provoke far greater and more dangerous antagonism than any he had yet encountered at any time of his government.
The first sign of this had come from the Duchess herself. She had sent for him soon after Lucette had left the Castle, and after avowing her share in procuring Gerard's escape, had met his storm of invective with a stubborn resistance culminating in a solemn declaration that if harm was done to a hair of Gabrielle's head, she would have herself carried in her bed out into the streets of Morvaix and denounce him and his acts to the citizens, and if that did not avail she would take the matter, if it cost her her life, to the King of France himself.
He had laughed at her threats, but they had gone home, none the less, and had rendered him ill at ease.
More was to come, however. Babillon was right in saying the city was roused by the news that Gabrielle
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