Part 25 (1/2)
There were with him two of the Queen's ladies--Madame de Montal, and the bright-eyed Cypriote, Mademoiselle Davila, she who had escaped from the sack of Cyprus--and these two immediately appropriated mademoiselle, asking ten questions in a breath, never waiting for answer, and detailing the hards.h.i.+ps of their own journey of four leagues or so from Paris. I had no chance of another word with her, and rode morosely by Lorgnac's side.
That night we lay at the priory of Longpont; but I saw nothing of mademoiselle, for the ladies both dined and supped by themselves, leaving De Lorgnac and myself to our own devices. After supper, as we paced the garden together, De Lorgnac gave me the news of the day, mentioning, amongst other things, that Vendome had returned to the Court once more, and that all differences between him and the d.u.c.h.ess de Valentinois appeared to have been buried. I glanced at the signet that I wore on my finger, Vendome's gift to me, saying:
”That is, perhaps, the best thing that could have happened for me; but I little dreamed that Vendome would ever have joined hands with Diane.”
”As to that,” he said, ”I have long ceased to be surprised at anything.
Poor Le Brusquet was in disgrace for a whole day for suggesting a new device for the Duke--a weatherc.o.c.k on a steeple.” And he laughed as he added: ”The Duke came back almost a week ago, with five hundred gentlemen in his train--amongst others the late rebel De Ganache, for whom he has obtained a pardon.”
”De Ganache!”
”Yes; there has been a turn of the wheel, and for the moment the new religion is in favour. What it means I know not; but as for De Ganache, the Court gossips are already linking his name with Diane's.
'Tis certain he is ever at her heels.”
”The weatherc.o.c.k would suit him as well as Vendome,” I said a little bitterly; ”but it is good news that even for the moment the new faith is in favour. It removes one danger, and the other is----”
”Back in Paris,” interrupted De Lorgnac.
”You mean my brother?”
”Yes; the Vidame came back a trifle over a fortnight ago with an arm very much hurt and one-third of his usual following of cut-throats.”
”He will not have much trouble in filling his vacancies; but is he much hurt?” And I smiled grimly to myself.
”Oh! he was badly pinked; but his arm is out of its sling now. There is some devil's broth preparing, and he and Diane are the cooks. Le Brusquet, however, has sworn to put his ladle into it, and so we shall see things ere long.”
”Not I,” I laughed. ”I shall be in Italy with Montluc.”
”You may not,” was the dry answer. ”Recollect that the Queen has the first claim on you, and the war between her and Diane will soon be open war. Up to now it has been a kiss and a stab, but soon it will be all stab.”
And so we talked until a late hour, and little did I think, as I retired to sleep, that Lorgnac's doubt about my Italian journey would come to be true.
It was well on towards the afternoon that we reached the Porte St.
Michel, for we had started late, and Madame de Montal would on no account be parted from the sumpter horses, whose rate of progress was necessarily slow. M. Agrippa de Pavanes was at the gate, and as we filed in, I last of all, he looked hard at me; but I had other business on hand, and could not at the moment spare time to devote to this gentleman. It was clear, however, that he owed me a grudge over the affair of the King's letter. As it happened, we never met again; and Pavanes, if he still lives, must look upon his account with me as one of his unsettled scores.
A few yards from the gate the road narrowed, and at the corner where the little Rue Poiree strikes off between two rows of tumble-down houses to join the Rue St. Jacques there was somewhat of a block. I had fallen back behind the sumpter horses, and halted for a moment, when I felt a hand rest lightly on my stirrup. I looked down, and, as I live, it was La Marmotte.
”You!” I exclaimed. ”In Paris!”
”Monsieur,” she said hurriedly, her face pale and haggard, ”this meeting is not chance. Ask for me tomorrow at vespers at the shop of Barou the armourer in the Rue Tire Boudin. If you do not do this you will never cease to regret it. Fail not!” And she made as if to draw away.
”A word,” I said. ”Trotto--does he live?”
”Oh! he lives. Thanks, monsieur, a thousand thanks!”
I had placed a piece of money in her hand, to take off any suspicion, and, rising to her part, she seized it, calling down blessings on me, and stepped back into the crowd.
Our party had gone a little ahead, and I did not overtake them until almost opposite the Cordeliers, where I joined De Lorgnac.