He
had boldly and wilfully lied at the Governor's council-table--
sitting as the King's councillor among gentlemen of honor--when he
declared that he knew not the hiding-place of Caroline de St.
Castin. It would cover him with eternal disgrace, as a gentleman,
to be detected in such a flagrant falsehood. It would ruin him as
a courtier in the favor of the great Marquise should she discover
that, in spite of his denials of the fact, he had harbored and
concealed the missing lady in his own chateau.
Bigot was sorely perplexed over this turn of affairs. He uttered a
thousand curses upon all concerned in it, excepting upon Caroline
herself, for although vexed at her coming to him at all, he could
not find it in his heart to curse her. But cursing or blessing
availed nothing now. Time was pressing, and he must act.
That Caroline would be sought after in every nook and corner of the
land, he knew full well, from the character of La Corne St. Luc and
of her father. His own chateau would not be spared in the general
search, and he doubted if the secret chamber would remain a secret
from the keen eyes of these men.
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