This was the first time there had been trouble in the little coterie.
They had never differed painfully before. Tall Medallion longed to say
something, but he waited for the Cure to speak.
"What is your mind, Monsieur le Cure?" asked De la Riviere testily.
"My dear friend, Monsieur Garon, has answered for us both," replied the
Cure quietly.
"Do you mean to say that you will not act with me to stop this thing," he
urged--"not even for the safety of the people?"
The reply was calm and resolute:
"My people shall have my prayers and my life, when needed, but I do not
feel called upon to act for the State. I have the honour to be a friend
of His Excellency."
"By Heaven, the State shall act!" cried De la Riviere, fierce with
rancour. "I shall go to this Valmond to-night, with my friend the member
here. I shall warn him, and call upon the people to disperse. If he
doesn't listen, let him beware! I seem to stand alone in the care of
Pontiac!"
The avocat turned to his desk. "No, no; I will write you a legal
opinion," he said, with professional honesty. "You shall have my legal
help; but for the rest, I am at one with my dear Cure."
"Well, Medallion, you too?" asked De la Riviere. "I'll go with you to
the camp," answered the auctioneer. "Fair play is all I care for.
Pontiac will come out of this all right. Come along."
But the avocat kept them till he had written his legal opinion and
had handed it courteously to the young Seigneur.
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