Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-12


my -urn. What the king gave me,
give you"
Seeing that it was the missing key to
the cipher. swallowed my rage and
took it; and being assured by this tims
that could effect nothing by staying
longer, bnt should only expose myself
to fresh insults, turned on my heel,
with rudeness equal to her own, and,
without taking leave of her, flung the
door open and went out. l heard her
throw herself back with shrill laugh
of triumph. But Is, the moment the
door fell to behind me, my thoughts
began to cast about for another way OF
escape-this failing-I took little heed
of her, and less of the derisive looks to
which the household. quickly taking
the cue, treated me as passed. l
flung myself into the saddle and
galloped off, followed by Maignan.
who presently, to my surprise, blurted
out clumsy word of congratulation.
turned on him in amazement, and,
swearing at him, asked him what he
meant.
you have got It," he said. timidly,
| pointing to the packet which me-
chemically held in my hand.
And to what purpose?" cried, glad
of this opportunity of unloading some
of my wrath. II want, not the paper,
but the secret, fool! You may have
the paper for yourself if you will tell
me how madame got it."
Nevertheless, his words led me to
look at the packet l opened it. and.
| having satisfied myself that it con-
tanned the original and not a copy, was
putting it up again when my eyes fell
on small spot of blood which marked
one corner of the cover. 1t was not
larger than q grain of corn, but il
| awohe, first, vague association and
then q memory, which as I rode grew
| stronger and more definite, until, on a
| sudden, discovery flashed upon me
and the truth.
l remembered where / had seen
| spots of blood before-on the papers
had handed to Ferret-and remem-
bercd, too, where that blood had come
from. l looked at the cut now, and
| finding it nearly healed, sprang in my
saddle. OF q certainty this paper had
gone through my hands that day! Ii
had been among the others; therefore
it must have been passed to Ferret in
side another when l first opened the
bag. The rogue, getting it and seeing
his opportunity, and that l did not sus
pcet, had doubtless scerctcd it, prob
ably while was attending to my hand
had not suspected him before, be
cause l had licked off the earlier pa
pers as handed them to him; and had
searched only among the rest and il
the bag for the missing one. Now ]
wondered that l had not done so, and
seen the truth from the beginning; and
in my impotence l found the leagues
through the forest, though the sur
was not yet high and the trees shell
tered us, the longest l had ridden in
my life When the roofs of the chateau
at length appeared before us, l could
scarcely keep my pace within bounds
Rejecting how Nine. dc Verncuil had
overreached herself, and how, by in
dulging in that last stroke of AFRO
gance, she had placed the secret in my
hands, had much ado to refrain from
going to the king booted and unwashed
as was, and though | had not eaten
since the previous evening.
However, the habit of propriety.
which no man may lightly neglect.
came to my aid. / made my toilet, and
having broken my fast standing, hast
ened to the court. On the way !
learned that the king was in the queens
garden, and, directing my steps thither,
found him walking with my colleagues,
Villeroy and Sillcry, in the little av,
enue which leads to the garden of the
Conciergerie. A number of the court
iers were standing ON the low terrace
watching them, while second group
lounged about the queens staircase.
Full of the news which l had for the
king, crossed the terrace, taking no
particular heed of anyone, but greeting
such as came in my way in my usual
fashion. At the edge of the terrace
paused moment before descending
the three steps; and at the same mo
ment, as it happened, Henry looked vi
and our eyes met. On the instant he
averted his gaze, and, turning on his
heel in marked way, retired slowly to
the farther end of the walk.
The action was SO deliberate that J
could not doubt he meant to slight me;
and paused where l was, divided be-
tween grief and indignation, a mark
for all those glances and whispered
gibcs in which courtiers indulge on
such occasions. The slight was not
rendered less serious by the fact that
the king was walking with my two
colleagues; SO that alone seemed to
be out of his confidence, as one soon to
be out of his councils also.
perceived all this, and was not
blind to the sneering smiles which
were exchanged behind my back; but
affected to see nothing, and to be alb
sorbed in sudden thought. In min
ute or two the king turned and came
back towards me; again, as if he could
not restrain his curiosity, looked up so
that our eyes met. This time thought
that he would beckon me to him, salts
fed with the lengths to which he had
/ 1,.ao l,, 81 /, =, Dad