The taunt told. It was the one tender point with the great minister.
"The house of Bethune," he began.
"Was old with the Ark, duc--we all know that," said Henry; "but truly I know not what satisfaction the Marshal wants."
"If not for me, sire, for my friends. There is M. de Gomeron who has been much wronged too."
"I see, you are coming to the old point again. I tell you, Biron, plainly, and once for all, I will not have it--my word is given to d"Ayen. And now let us go."
When the King had warned me out of France, I had made a half-movement to bow and retire and then glanced round to Belin for a hint as to what I should do. I could not see him, and not knowing whether to leave the cabinet or not, I remained standing irresolutely where I was, and thus was a witness to the little pa.s.sage described above. As Henry refused Biron"s request he, however, at the same time linked his arm in that of the Marshal, and stepped towards the door of the cabinet. Sully followed immediately behind, and I brought up the rear.
In this manner we entered the Galerie d"Apollon, and as we pa.s.sed in the King looked round and saw me. He stared hard for a moment, and then said in loud tones, "Twenty-four hours is a short time to reach the frontier, M. d"Auriac," and then he turned his back on me.
Everyone heard the words, and I caught de Gie"s mocking voice as he spoke to Mademoiselle d"Entragues, "His cloak was short enough to see the King in, I observe," and then there was a feminine t.i.tter.
With my heart boiling with rage I made for the stairway. I did not dare to look for Madame. There was enough despair on my face to enable her to read it like a book were she to see me, and I had no doubt she had. I felt I had miserably failed. There was one chance, however, and that was to urge her to instant flight, and I determined to ride straight to the Rue Varenne and there await either Madame"s or Palin"s return and induce them to adopt this course.
At this moment someone came in my way, and, stepping aside to let him pa.s.s, I caught sight of Madame with both de Belin and the Huguenot at her side. She was not three feet from me, and held out her hand saying, "Courage; I know all." I held her small fingers for a moment, and then the ribbon by which her fan was slung to her wrist somehow slipped and the fan fell to the ground. I picked it up, and, on handing it to her, caught a whisper, "Coiffier, to-night," and then with a bow I went on. Ten steps more brought me to the head of the stairway, and Coiffier was standing there. "Would you have your fortune told, monsieur?" he asked.
"Will to-night suit you?" I answered, taking his humour.
"To-night will be too late, monsieur le chevalier. Look in that as you ride home and you will see--and now go."
With a turn of his wrist he produced a small red ball of polished wood and placed it in my hands, and then moved backwards amongst the crowd.
It did not take me five minutes more to find Couronne, but as I turned her head on reaching the gates of the town towards the river face, I heard de Belin"s quiet voice behind:
"Not that way, d"Auriac; you come with me."
CHAPTER XIV
UNDER THE LIMES
It mattered little to me if I rode a portion of my way back with de Belin, and so I turned Couronne"s head as he wished. Before setting off, however, he gave some rapid and whispered orders to Vallon, emphasising them with a loud "Quick, mind you, and do not fail."
"It is not likely, monsieur," answered Vallon, and then set off.
The crowd was as great as ever, and we were compelled to go slowly.
Looking for a moment to my right as we went forwards, I saw Vallon making as much haste as he could in the delivery of his message, and I wished to myself that my own stout-hearted knave were with me. One blade such as his was worth a half-dozen hired swords.
It was my intention to leave de Belin at his hotel and make my way as quickly as possible to my lodging, and thence, taking the risk of the King"s warning, go straight to the Rue Varenne and urge Madame to instant flight. My house of cards had come down, a fluttering heap, as the first story was raised, and to my mind there was nothing for it but a sharp spur and a loose rein. I wished, too, for a moment of leisure to examine Coiffier"s gift. I had little doubt that it conveyed a message or a warning, and the sooner I got at its contents the better.
In the meantime Belin rode by my side, whistling a march to himself, whilst a couple of lackeys immediately behind us shouted themselves hoa.r.s.e with an insistent "Way, way for Monsieur le Compte!"
This cry of theirs was being constantly echoed by a Capuchin, who, mounted on a mule, with his hood drawn over his face so as to show little but his eyes and a portion of a grey beard, kept alternately flinging an "Ave!" and a "Way! way!" to the crowd, the whiles he stuck close to our heels, having evidently made up his mind to follow the old saw--the stronger the company the freer the road.
I know not why it was, but the jingling notes of the tune my friend whistled irritated me beyond measure, and at last, at the corner of the Rue Perrault, I could stand it no longer, and, reining in, held out my hand.
"I must say good-bye here, Belin. We will meet again, and meet in better times, I trust, for me. In the meanwhile let me thank you, my friend. The rest of my business lies in my own hand."
He laughed and said, "Not yet good-bye; and as for your business, there is some of it in Coiffier"s wooden ball. I would open that here before you decide to leave me."
"_Morbleu!_ You all seem to be determined to speak to me in riddles.
Why can you not say plainly what you mean? And, besides, this is no place to read."
"It is as good as any other. See here, d"Auriac! I slipped out of the King"s cabinet as he spoke to you, and told Madame how your affair was progressing. She herself had something to communicate to you. The matter was pressing, and as things stood she could not tell you there.
As for your being treated like a p.a.w.n, I give you my word it was beyond me to help that. But if you come with me you will learn many things within the hour. In the meantime open the ball, man! It was a lucky thing Coiffier was there."
Without any further hesitation I drew forth Coiffier"s gift. It was, as I have said, a hollow, wooden globe, and was made in two parts, which could be joined together or separated by a turn of the wrist. I held it in my hands for a moment or so and then opened it, and had just pulled forth the paper it contained, when by ill chance, as it seemed, the Capuchin, who was urging his mule past us, brushed violently against my horse, with the result that the paper slipped from between my fingers and fluttered to earth. Couronne, after her first start, was steady enough, but the monk"s ill-conditioned mule kicked and plunged, bringing him apparently heavily to the ground. He fell exactly over the paper and lay there for a moment, face downwards, resting on one elbow. I sprang down, as much to get the paper as to a.s.sist him, but as I did so, he scrambled to his feet with "A hundred pardons, monsieur, for my clumsiness," and then hastily turned and hurried after his mule, which was already many yards ahead, behaving after its kind, and whose speed was not diminished by the sticks, stones, and oaths flung at him; and there was a roar of laughter--a mob will laugh or hiss at the merest trifles--as the lank figure of the Capuchin sped along in pursuit of his beast and vanished after him down a side street.
Belin himself joined in the merriment, and I picked up the paper, muddy and much soiled. Smoothening it out against the flap of my saddle, I made out the words, "_To-night, under the limes in the Tuileries--at compline_." There was no doubt about the writing, and, thrusting the precious sc.r.a.p into my breast-pocket, I remounted. As I did so de Belin said:
"Well, have you changed your plans?"
"Partly, but I think I shall go back to my lodging."
"Do nothing of the kind as yet. I have asked Pantin to meet us at the Two Ecus, your own ordinary. Vallon has gone to call him. You can give him any orders there. You owe me as much as to yield to me in this."
It would have been ungracious not to have agreed, and I told Lisois I would go with him.
"Hasten, then! The road is clearer now, thanks to the Capuchin, or rather to his mule. By the way, did you see the monk"s face?"
"No!"
"A pity! I tried to, but failed in the attempt. His voice was familiar to me, and he seemed wonderfully active for an old man."
"You are suspicion itself, Belin."
"I have slept with the dogs and risen with the fleas. Harkee, Hubert!
And you, Pierre! If you see that Capuchin again let me know at once; keep your eyes open. If you can persuade him to speak to me, it will be worth five crowns a-piece to you."
"Monsieur"s wishes shall be obeyed," said both men in a breath, and now finding the road free enough we set off at a canter, and kept the pace up until almost at the door of the Two Ecus.
As we pulled up at the ordinary and dismounted, Belin exclaimed: "Now for our supper. I am of those who can only fight under a full belt, and I would advise you, d"Auriac--you who will have fighting to do very soon perhaps--to follow my advice, and make the best use you can of your knife."
I laughed out some reply, and then, turning to mine host, ordered refreshment for both man and beast, and directed that our supper should be served in a private room.
"And observe," cut in Belin, "if Maitre Pantin arrives, let him be shown up to us at once."
"Monsieur."
Before we went in de Belin asked his men if they had seen any more of the monk, and received an answer in the negative. Bidding them remember his orders on the subject, he linked his arm in mine and we went within.
"You seem in a way about the monk," I said.