The officer here pricked up his ears at your name and may know you."
Lucette drew the end of the shawl which wrapped her neck and shoulders across the lower part of her face as the officer came out and looked curiously at her.
"I know him, indeed," she said.
"Ah, these flirtings of yours, Lucette!" whispered Pascal, as she wheeled the horse around. "Yes, in an hour, here," he added aloud, "and don't keep me waiting. It is as I thought, monsieur, my wife will return to meet me here," he said lightly, turning to the officer, who was looking very intently indeed after Lucette.
"Umph! Curious! A strange resemblance!" The words were muttered in a low whisper, but not so low as to escape Pascal's sharp ears, and the officer gave him a quick suspicious glance. Pascal's easy indifference appeared to reassure him, however. "Here's the man, monsieur," he said.
And again Pascal cursed his luck. It was the soldier with whom he had made friends in going to the Castle the preceding day. But he put his usual bold face on the matter and with a salutation to the officer went off, leaving the man to follow him.
The officer looked after him thoughtfully, re-entered the guard-house, read over the replies to his question, and pondered them.
"I must be wrong," he mused. "But if so no harm can be done in having her followed. 'Pascal Tourelle of Paris—and Lucette!' I'll send the names to Boutelle at the Castle too, and be prepared against their returning—if they do return. No, there might be trouble that I didn't detain them. But I'll have the wife followed." He gave directions for this at once, and thus laid a train that was to lead to serious consequences.
Meanwhile Pascal was cudgelling his wits how to get rid of his companion, and felt none too easy under the
