He was a prisoner, but Angelique did not know it or she would not
have left him. As it was, urged by the most vehement objurgations
of De Pean, and seeing a portion of the crowd turning their furious
looks towards herself as she sat upon her horse, unable either to
go or stay, De Pean suddenly seized her rein, and spurring his own
horse, dragged her furiously in spite of herself out of the tumult.
They rode headlong to the casernes of the Regiment of Bearn, where
they took refuge for the moment from the execrations of the
populace.
The hapless Le Gardeur became suddenly sobered and conscious of the
enormity of his act. He called madly for death from the raging
crowd. He held out his hands for chains to bind a murderer, as he
called himself! But no one would strike him or offer to bind him.
The wrath of the people was so mingled with blank astonishment at
his demeanor, his grief and his despair were so evidently genuine
and so deep, that many said he was mad, and more an object of pity
than of punishment.
At his own reiterated command, he was given over to the hands of
some soldiers and led off, followed by a great crowd of people, to
the main guard of the Castle of St.
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