Part 12 (1/2)
”And vat iss your name, monsir?”
”The Comte Lerac de la Mole.”
”Gount Lerag dee la Mole?”
”Yes.”
”I don't know de name.”
”It is not strange that I have not the honor of being known to you, sir, for like the Comte de Coconnas I am only just arrived in Paris.”
”Where do you gome from?”
”From Provence.”
”Vit a ledder?”
”Yes.”
”For Monsir dee Gouise?”
”No; for his majesty the King of Navarre.”
”I do not pelong to de King of Navarre,” said De Besme coldly, ”and derefore I gannot dake your ledder.”
And turning on his heel, he entered the Louvre, bidding Coconnas follow him.
La Mole was left alone.
At this moment a troop of cavaliers, about a hundred in number, came out from the Louvre by a gate alongside that of which Besme and Coconnas had entered.
”Aha!” said the sentinel to his comrade, ”there are De Mouy and his Huguenots! See how joyous they all are! The King has probably promised them to put to death the a.s.sa.s.sin of the admiral; and as it was he who murdered De Mouy's father, the son will kill two birds with one stone.”
”Excuse me, my good fellow,” interrupted La Mole, ”did you not say that officer is M. de Mouy?”
”Yes, sir.”
”And that those with him are”--
”Are heretics--I said so.”
”Thank you,” said La Mole, affecting not to notice the scornful word _parpaillots_, employed by the sentinel. ”That was all I wished to know;” and advancing to the chief of the cavaliers:
”Sir,” said he, ”I am told you are M. de Mouy.”
”Yes, sir,” returned the officer, courteously.
”Your name, well known among those of our faith, emboldens me to address you, sir, to ask a special favor.”
”What may that be, sir,--but first whom have I the honor of addressing?”