Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-03-02


Ipromise you 20 swords"
IF l do not get them in an hour"
said grimly. 81 viii 90 back myself and
see what my own sword can do"
"And / will 60 back with you, too
there, is not that enough? Come, man,
and we hurried along through the mist
as fast as we could walk, keeping on the
left side of the road. As we came up to
st. Merri de Belin stopped and blew
sharply on a whistle. There was an an
swering call, and from finder the fam
boyant portlco of the church the figure
of a man with a led horse slipped out
into the fog. now yellow with the light
of the street lamps. Without word
the stranger mounted, and the two
passed us at trot.
What the devil does that mean 2"
exclaimed-~your monseigneur has left
u.s."
ITO return again." answered the
compte dryly, and then added: 1T will
be gay party at More's tonight, and IL
is time we were there"
At last we reached More's, and as we
entered the hall could not help won
dering II the good Parisians knew that
their king was playing at primero in an
ordinary of the city, and would be later
on, perhaps, pursued by the watch.
More, whom / had not seen since my
affair with d'Ayen, was in the hall, and
at word from de Belin, conducted us
himself up the stairway, though look
ing askance at me. We at length gained
a long corridor at the beginning of
which Pantin was left. Through the
closed doors of a private dining-room
az the end of this we could hear shouts
Of laughter. His majesty and NJ. de
Vitry arrived scarce a half hour ago."
whispered More as we approached the
door.
"We will not trouble you further" re-
piled the compile; lit is the rule at
these little parties to enter unan-
nounced." With these words he put
his hand TO the door, and went in, fol-
lowing at his heels. There were at
least ten or a dozen men in the room
standing round a table, at which sat
the king engaged at play with NJ. de
Bassompierre. Neither the king nor
Bassompierre, who seemed absorbed
in the game, took the least notice of our
entrance, nor did they seem In the
least disturbed by the constant laugh
ter and converse that went on. The
others, however, stopped, and then
burst out in joyous greetings of de
Belin, and very naughty glances at me.
In the meantime the king played on,
taking 20 notice of anyone, his beaked
nose dropping lower toward his chin as
he lost one roulcau after another TO
Eassompierre.
-Ventre st. Gris!" he exclaimed at
last. was ever such luck? At this rate
I shall not have shirt on my back in
half an hour"
IF the marshal were only here" said
Sully, 1--WE could start off at once, sire,
INSTEAD Of risling any more. l see de
Belin has brought our guide"
'1Yes; where is Biron? l am sick OF
this And the king, who was bad
loser, rose from his seat impatiently, at
the same time forgetting to hand over
the last rouleau of pistoles he had lost
to Bassompierre, and thrusting them
back into his pocket with an absent
gesture.
As if in answer TO his question, the /
door opened, admitting the slight fig !
ure and handsome face of de Gle.
Where is the marshal? Where is BIZ I
run?" asked ten voices in breath.
yes, NJ. de Gle" put in the king. |
where is Biron?"
"Sire, the marshal is indisposed. He |
has begged me TO present his excuses
and to say he is too i'll to come tonight"
and as he spoke saw de Gie's jeweled |
fingers trembling, and his cheek had
lost all color.
This is sorry news to spoil a gay |
evening" said the king; and the master /
general, pulling a comit box from his
vest pocket, toyed with it in his hand as
he followed. "Biron must be i'll indeed \
to, stay away, sire. What does your mai |
esty think2 Shall we begin our ram
bles by calling on monseigneur2"
The very thing, grand master; we
will start at once"
but, sire, the marshal is too i'll to.
see anyone, even your majesty" said de
Gle, desperately, and with whitening
lips.
| thought | heard de vitry mutter
"Trsitor," under his thick mustache,
but the guardsman parried my glance
with an unconcerned look. There was
a silence of a half minute at de Giles
speech, and the king redeemed to his
forehead.
off it is as you say, NJ. lie Vicompte,
know the marshal too well not to feel
sure that there are two persons whom
he would see were he dying-which God
one Of the two is his king. 4
Grand master. we will go, but'-and his
voice took a tone of sharp command,
and his eye rested first on de Gle and
then on the figure Of a tall cavalier, at
whose throat flashed the jewel of the st.
Esprit-"but must first ask NJ. de Wit
~ to do his duty"
As for me, was dumb with astonish-
ment, and half The faces around me
were filed with amaze. Then de Wit
rvs voice broke the stiffness.