Unstable

And that troubled M. la Tribe no little, although he did not impart his
thoughts to his companion. Instead they talked in whispers of the things
which had happened; of the Admiral, of Teligny, whom all loved, of
Rochefoucauld the accomplished, the King's friend; of the princes in the
Louvre whom they gave up for lost, and of the Huguenot nobles on the
farther side of the river, of whose safety there seemed some hope.
Tignonville--he best knew why--said nothing of the fate of his betrothed,
or of his own adventures in that connection. But each told the other how
the alarm had reached him, and painted in broken words his reluctance to
believe in treachery so black. Thence they passed to the future of the
cause, and of that took views as opposite as light and darkness, as
Papegot and Huguenot. The one was confident, the other in despair. And
some time in the afternoon, worn out by the awful experiences of the last
twelve hours, they fell asleep, their heads on their arms, the hay
tickling their faces; and, with death stalking the lane beside them,
slept soundly until after sundown.

When they awoke hunger awoke with them, and urged on La Tribe's mind the
question of the missing egg. It was not altogether the prick of appetite
which troubled him, but regarding the hiding-place in which they lay as
an ark of refuge providentially supplied, protected and victualled, he
could not refrain from asking reverently what the deficiency meant. It
was not as if one hen only had appeared; as if no farther prospect had
been extended. But up to a certain point the message was clear. Then
when the Hand of Providence had shown itself most plainly, and in a
manner to melt the heart with awe and thankfulness, the message had been
blurred. Seriously the Huguenot asked himself what it portended.