Part 10 (2/2)
”I do not know them,” said the landlord.
”But I do; and as I am on my way to the King of Navarre, I desire you not to speak slightingly of him before me.”
The landlord replied by merely touching his cap, and continued to lavish his a.s.siduities on Coconnas:
”So monsieur is going to see the great Duc de Guise? Monsieur is a very fortunate gentleman; he has come, no doubt, for”--
”What?” asked Coconnas.
”For the festivity,” replied the host, with a singular smile.
”You should say for the festivities,” replied Coconnas; ”for Paris, I hear, runs riot with festivals; at least there is nothing talked about but b.a.l.l.s, festivals, and orgies. Does not every one find plenty of amus.e.m.e.nt?”
”A moderate amount, but they will have more soon, I hope.”
”But the marriage of his majesty the King of Navarre has brought a great many people to Paris, has it not?” said La Mole.
”A great many Huguenots--yes,” replied La Huriere, but suddenly changing his tone:
”Pardon me, gentlemen,” said he, ”perhaps you are of that religion?”
”I,” cried Coconnas, ”I am as good a Catholic as the pope himself.”
La Huriere looked at La Mole, but La Mole did not or would not comprehend him.
”If you do not know the King of Navarre, Maitre La Huriere,” said La Mole, ”perhaps you know the admiral. I have heard he has some influence at court, and as I have letters for him, perhaps you will tell me where he lives, if his name does not take the skin off your lips.”
”He _did_ live in the Rue de Bethizy down here at the right,” replied the landlord, with an inward satisfaction he could not conceal.
”He _did_ live?” exclaimed La Mole. ”Has he changed his residence?”
”Yes--from this world, perhaps.”
”What do you mean?” cried both the gentlemen together, ”the admiral removed from this world?”
”What, Monsieur de Coconnas,” pursued the landlord, with a shrewd smile, ”are you a friend of the Duc de Guise, and do not know _that_?”
”Know what?”
”That the day before yesterday, as the admiral was pa.s.sing along the place Saint Germain l'Auxerrois before the house of the Canon Pierre Piles, he was fired at”--
”And killed?” said La Mole.
”No; he had his arm broken and two fingers taken off; but it is hoped the b.a.l.l.s were poisoned.”
”How, wretch!” cried La Mole; ”hoped?”
<script>