Chapter 25
THE COMPANY OF THE BLEEDING HEART. "But why," Madame St. Lo asked, sticking her arms akimbo, "why stay in this forsaken place a day and a night, when six hours in the saddle would set us in Angers?" "Because," Tavannes replied coldly--he and his cousin were walking before the gateway of the inn--"the Countess is not well, and will be the better, I think, for staying a day." "She slept soundly enough! I'll answer for that!" He shrugged his shoulders. "She never raised her head this morning, though my women were shrieking 'Murder!' next door, and--Name of Heaven!" Madame resumed, after breaking off abruptly, and shading her eyes with her hand, "what comes here? Is it a funeral? Or a pilgrimage? If all the priests about here are as black, no wonder M. Rabelais fell out with them!
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