"In safety, my dear little fellow," replied the lady in a southern accent. "A while ago you ran great risk of being smashed under my carriage wheels. What happened you, to drop on the highroad right in the middle?"
"I swooned from having walked some eighteen leagues since four yesterday afternoon, or, rather, run."
"To Versailles, lady. I come from Taverney, a castle between Pierrefitte and Bar-le-Duc."
"I had neither the time nor the means, for I lost a bit of money, and I soon ate the crusts I carried."
"Poor boy! but you might have asked for more bread."
"I am too proud, lady," said Gilbert, smiling loftily.
"Pride is all very well, but not when it lets one die of hunger."
"Not at home, for I am an orphan. My name is Gilbert, and no more."
"Some by-blow of a country squire," thought the woman. "You are very young to roam the highway," she continued.
"I was not roaming," said the youth, who thought the truth would recommend him to a woman. "I was following a carriage."
"With your lady love in it? Dear me! there is a romance in your adventure?"
Gilbert was not enough his own master not to redden.
"What, is she ahead of us?" exclaimed the woman. "Are they not making a fuss over her along the route?"
"They wanted to, but she pressed on after having talked of staying for rest at Taverney Castle, for a letter came from Versailles, they said, and she was off in three-quarters of an hour."
"Lord Stainville? Duke Choiseul's brother? The mischief! Whip on, postillion! faster, faster!"
The whip snapped and Gilbert felt the vehicle jump with more velocity.
"We may outstrip her if she stops for breakfast, or at night," meditated the woman. "Postillion, which is the next town of any account?"
"Go on; but tell me if you see a string of carriages on the main road. Poor child!" she continued, seeing how pale Gilbert was; "it is my fault for making him chatter when he is dying of hunger and thirst."
To make up for the lost time, she took out a traveling flask with a silver cap as stopper, into which she poured a cordial.
"Drink that and eat a cake," she said, "until you can have a substantial breakfast in an hour or two. Now, as you are a whit refreshed, tell me, if you have any trust in me, what interest you have in following the carriage belonging to the dauphiness' train?"