"I want to speak with you about something important."
"Who are you, then?"
"I"ll tell you when you let me in."
"I"ll let you in when you tell me."
"My name"s Martin. I"m a friend of Bernet. I want to speak to you quietly about a matter of importance."
"A friend of Bernet. Hmm! Well, friend of Bernet, it appears to me you speak very well through the door."
"I want to speak with you about the affair of to-night."
"What affair?"
"To-night"s affair."
"To-night? I go to a supper-party at St. Germain. What have you to say about that?"
"Last night, then," M. etienne amended, with rising temper. "If you want me to shout it out on your stairs, the St. Quentin affair."
"Now, what may you mean by that?" called the voice from within. If Peyrot was startled by the name, he carried it off well.
"You know what I mean. Shall I take the house into our confidence?"
"The house knows as much of your meaning as I. See here, friend of Bernet, if you are that gentleman"s mate, perhaps you have a pa.s.sword about you."
"Aye," said M. etienne, readily. "This is it: twenty pistoles."
No answer came immediately; I could guess Peyrot puzzled. Presently he called to us:
"By the bones of St. Anne, I don"t believe a word you"ve been saying.
But I"ll have you in and see what you look like."
We heard him getting into his boots again and buckling on his baldric.
Then we listened to the turning of a key; a lid was raised and banged down again, and the lock refastened. It was the box once more. M.
etienne and I looked at each other.
At length Peyrot opened the door and surveyed us.
"What, two friends of Bernet, ventre bleu!" But he allowed us to enter.
He drew back before us with a flourishing bow, his hand resting lightly on his belt, in which was stuck a brace of pistols. Any idea of doing violence on the person of M. Peyrot we dismissed for the present.
Our eyes travelled from his pistols over the rest of him. He was small, lean, and wiry, with dark, sharp face and deep-set twinkling eyes. One moment"s glance gave us to know that Peyrot was no fool.
My lord closed the door after him and went straight to the point.
"M. Peyrot, you were engaged last night in an attack on the Duke of St.
Quentin. You did not succeed in slaying him, but you did kill his man, and you took from him a packet. I come to buy it."
He looked at us a little dazed, not understanding, I deem, how we knew this. Certes, it had been too dark in the lane for his face to be seen, and he had doubtless made sure that he was not followed home. He said directly:
"You are the Comte de Mar."
"Even so, M. Peyrot. I did not care to have the whole stair know it, but to you I have no hesitation in confiding that I am M. de Mar."
M. Peyrot swept a bow till his head almost touched the floor.
"My poor apartment is honoured."
As he louted low, I made a spring forward; I thought to pin him before he could rise. But he was up with the lightness of a bird from the bough and standing three yards away from me, where I crouched on the spring like a foiled cat. He grinned at me in open enjoyment.
"Monsieur desired?" he asked sympathetically.
"No, it is I who desire," said M. etienne, clearing himself a place to sit on the corner of the table. "I desire that packet, monsieur. You know this little expedition of yours to-night was something of a failure. When you report to the general-duke, he will not be in the best of humours. He does not like failures, the general; he will not incline to reward you dear. While I am in the very best humour in the world."
He smiled to prove it. Nor do I think his complaisance altogether feigned. The temper of our host amused him.
As for friend Peyrot, he still looked dazed. I thought it was because he had not yet made up his mind what line to take; but had I viewed him with neutral eyes I might easily have deemed his bewilderment genuine.
"Perhaps we should get on better if I could understand what monsieur is driving at?" he suggested. "Monsieur"s remarks about his n.o.ble father and the general-duke are interesting, but humble Jean Peyrot, who does not move in court circles, is at a loss to translate them. In other words, I have no notion what you are talking about."
"Oh, come," M. etienne cried, "no shuffling, Peyrot. We know as well as you where you were before dawn."
"Before dawn? Marry, I was sleeping the sleep of the virtuous."
M. etienne slipped across the room as quickly as Peyrot"s self might have done, lifted up a heavy curtain hanging before an alcove, and disclosed the bed folded smooth, the pillow undisturbed. He turned with a triumphant grin on the owner, who showed all his teeth pleasantly in answer, no whit abashed.
"For all you are a count, monsieur, you have the worst manners ever came inside these walls."
M. le Comte, with no attempt at mending them, went on a tour about the room, examining with sniffing interest all its furniture, even to the dishes and tankards on the table. Peyrot, leaning against the wall by the window, regarded him steadily, with impa.s.sive face. At length M.
etienne walked over to the chest by the chimneypiece and deliberately put his hand on the key.
Instantly Peyrot"s voice rang out, "Stop!" M. etienne, turning, looked into his pistol-barrel.
My lord stood exactly as he was, bent over the chest, his fingers on the key, looking over his shoulder at the bravo with raised, protesting eyebrows and laughing mouth. But though he laughed, he stood still.
"If you make a movement I do not like, M. de Mar, I will shoot you as I would a rat. Your side is down and mine is up; I have no fear to kill you. It will be painful to me, but if necessary I shall do it."
M. etienne sat down on the chest and smiled more amiably than ever.
"Why--have I never known you before, Peyrot?"
"One moment, monsieur." The nose of the pistol pointed around to me. "Go over there to the door, you."
I retreated, covered by the shining muzzle, to a spot that pleased him.