Part 13 (2/2)
”Here I am,” replied La Mole, ”excuse me, here I am.”
The page, preceding La Mole, descended a story lower, opened one door, then another, and stopping,
”You are to wait here,” said he.
La Mole entered the gallery, the door of which closed after him.
The gallery was vacant except for one gentleman, who was sauntering up and down, and seemed also waiting for some one.
The evening was by this time beginning to scatter monstrous shadows from the depths of the vaulted ceiling, and though the two gentlemen were not twenty paces apart, it was impossible for either to recognize the other's face.
La Mole drew nearer.
”By Heaven!” muttered he as soon as he was within a few feet of the other, ”here is Monsieur le Comte de Coconnas again!”
At the sound of footsteps Coconnas had already turned, and was staring at La Mole with no less astonishment than the other showed.
”By Heaven!” cried he. ”The devil take me but here is Monsieur de la Mole! What am I doing? Swearing in the King's palace? Well, never mind; it seems the King swears in a different way from mine, and even in churches. Here we are at last, then, in the Louvre!”
”Yes; I suppose Monsieur de Besme introduced you?”
”Oh, he is a charming German. Who brought you in?”
”M. de Mouy--I told you the Huguenots had some interest at court. Have you seen Monsieur de Guise?”
”No, not yet. Have you obtained your audience with the King of Navarre?”
”No, but I soon shall. I was brought here and told to wait.”
”Ah, you will see there is some great supper under way and we shall be placed side by side. What a strange chance! For two hours fortune has joined us! But what is the matter? You seem ill at ease.”
”I?” exclaimed La Mole, s.h.i.+vering, for in truth he was still dazzled by the vision which had been vouchsafed him. ”Oh, no, but the place in which we are brings into my mind a throng of reflections.”
”Philosophical ones, I suppose. Just the same as it is with me. When you came in I was just going over in my mind all my tutor's recommendations.
Monsieur le Comte, are you acquainted with Plutarch?”
”Certainly I am!” exclaimed La Mole, smiling, ”he is one of my favorite authors.”
”Very well,” Coconnas went on gravely, ”this great man does not seem to me so far wrong when he compares the gifts of nature to brilliant but ephemeral flowers, while he regards virtue as a balsamic plant of imperishable perfume and sovereign efficacy for the healing of wounds.”
”Do you know Greek, Monsieur de Coconnas?” said La Mole, gazing keenly at his companion.
”No, I do not; but my tutor did, and he strongly advised me when I should be at court to talk about virtue. 'That looks well,' he said. So I a.s.sure you I am well fortified with it. By the way, are you hungry?”
”No.”
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