"I wish I had never entered into it, monseigneur, I own, for since I did so a great change has taken place in my life, but I am in it, and must accomplish it."
"Even if I refuse to second you?"
"The Breton committee have provided for that emergency."
"And decided--"
"To do without you."
"Then your resolution--"
"Is irrevocable."
"I have said all I had to say," replied the regent, "since you are determined to pursue your undertaking."
"Monseigneur," said Gaston, "you seem to wish to retire."
"Have you anything more to say to me?"
"Not to-day; to-morrow, or the day after."
"You have the captain as go-between--when he gives me notice I will receive you with pleasure."
"Monseigneur," said Gaston firmly, and with a n.o.ble air, "let me speak freely. We should have no go-between; you and I--so evidently separated by rank and station--are equal before the scaffold which threatens us. I have even a superiority over you, since I run the greater danger; however, you are now, monseigneur, a conspirator, like the Chevalier de Chanlay, with this difference: that you have the right--being the chief--to see his head fall before yours--let me, then, treat as an equal with your excellency, and see you when it is necessary."
The regent thought for a moment.
"Very well," said he, "this house is not my residence; you understand I do not receive many at my house: since the war, my position is precarious and delicate in France; Cellamare is in prison at Blois; I am only a sort of consul--good as a hostage--I cannot use too many precautions."
The regent lied with a painful effort.
"Write, then, poste restante to M. Andre, you must name the time at which you wish to see me, and I will be there."
"Through the post?" asked Gaston.
"Yes, it is only a delay of three hours; at each post a man will watch for your letter, and bring it to me when it arrives; three hours after you can come here."
"Your excellency forgets," said Gaston, laughing, "that I do not know where I am, in what street, at what number; I came by night. Stay, let us do better than that; you asked for time to reflect, take till to-morrow morning, and at eleven o"clock send for me. We must arrange a plan beforehand, that it may not fail, like those plans where a carriage or a shower of rain disconcerts everything."
"That is a good idea," said the regent; "to-morrow, then, at eleven o"clock, you shall be fetched, and we will then have no secrets from each other."
Gaston bowed and retired. In the antechamber he found the guide who brought him, but he noticed that in leaving they crossed a garden which they had not pa.s.sed through on entering, and went out by a different door. At this door the carriage waited, and it quickly arrived at the Rue des Bourdonnais.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE FAUBOURG SAINT ANTOINE.
No more illusion for the chevalier. In a day or two he might be called to his work.
The Spanish envoy had deeply impressed Gaston--there was about him an air of greatness which surprised him.
A strange circ.u.mstance pa.s.sed across his mind; there was, between his forehead and eyes and those of Helene, one of those vague and distant likenesses which seem almost like the incoherence of a dream. Gaston, without knowing why, a.s.sociated these two faces in his memory, and could not separate them. As he was about to lie down, worn out with fatigue, a horse"s feet sounded in the street, the hotel door opened, and Gaston heard an animated conversation; but soon the door was closed, the noise ceased, and he slept as a man sleeps at five-and-twenty, even if he be a conspirator.
However, Gaston was not mistaken; a horse had arrived, and a conversation had taken place. A peasant from Rambouillet brought in haste a note from a young and pretty woman to the Chevalier de Chanlay, Hotel Muids d"Amour.
We can imagine who the young and pretty woman was.
Tapin took the letter, looked at it, then, taking off his ap.r.o.n, left the charge of the hotel to one of his servants, and went off to Dubois.
"Oh," exclaimed the latter, "let us see; a letter!"
He unsealed it skillfully by aid of steam, and, on reading it, seemed pleased.
"Good! excellent! Let them alone to go their own way; we hold the reins, and can stop them when we like." Then, turning to Tapin, he gave him the letter, which he had resealed. "Here," said he, "deliver the letter."
"When?" asked Tapin.
"At once."
Tapin stepped toward the door.
"No, stop," said Dubois; "to-morrow morning will be soon enough."
"Now," said Tapin, "may I make an observation?"
"Speak."
"As monseigneur"s agent, I gain three crowns a day."
"Well, is not that enough, you scoundrel?"
"It was enough as agent. I do not complain, but it is not enough as wine-merchant. Oh, the horrid trade!"
"Drink and amuse yourself."
"Since I have sold wine I hate it."
"Because you see how it is made; but drink champagne, muscat, anything: Bourguignon pays. Apropos, he has had a real attack; so your lie was only an affair of chronology."
"Indeed."
"Yes, fear has caused it; you want to inherit his goods?"
"No, no; the trade is not amusing."