Part 19 (2/2)
”A rallying sign?”
”No.”
”Well, I have one, and my pa.s.s-word is”--
As the Piedmontese was saying these words, La Huriere made such an expressive gesture that the indiscreet gentleman, who happened at that instant to raise his head, paused petrified more by the action than by the turn of the cards which had just caused him to lose three crowns.
La Mole looked around, but saw only his landlord standing behind him with folded arms and wearing on his head the sallet which he had seen him polis.h.i.+ng the moment before.
”What is the matter, pray?” inquired La Mole of Coconnas.
Coconnas looked at the landlord and at his companion without answering, for he could make nothing out of Maitre La Huriere's redoubled gestures.
La Huriere saw that he must go to his aid:
”It is only that I am very fond of cards myself,” said he, speaking rapidly, ”and I came closer to see the trick which made you gain, and the gentleman saw me with my war helmet on, and as I am only a poor bourgeois, it surprised him.”
”You make a fine figure, indeed you do!” cried La Mole, with a burst of laughter.
”Oh, sir,” replied La Huriere with admirably pretended good nature and a shrug of the shoulders expressive of his inferiority, ”we poor fellows are not very valiant and our appearance is not elegant. It is all right for you fine gentlemen to wear glittering helmets and carry keen rapiers, and provided we mount guard strictly”--
”Aha!” said La Mole, taking his turn at shuffling the cards. ”So you mount guard, do you?”
”_Eh, mon Dieu, oui, Monsieur le Comte!_ I am sergeant in a company of citizen militia.”
After having said this while La Mole was engaged in dealing the cards, La Huriere withdrew, putting his finger on his lips as a sign of discretion for Coconnas, who was more amazed than ever.
This signal for caution was doubtless the reason that he lost almost as rapidly the second time as the first.
”Well,” observed La Mole, ”this makes exactly your six crowns. Will you have your revenge on your future fortune?”
”Willingly,” replied Coconnas.
”But before you begin, did you not say you had an appointment with the Duc de Guise?”
Coconnas looked toward the kitchen, and saw the great eyes of La Huriere, who was repeating his warning.
”Yes,” he replied, ”but it is not yet time. But now let us talk a little about yourself, Monsieur de la Mole.”
”We should do better, I think, by talking of the game, my dear Monsieur de Coconnas; for unless I am very much mistaken, I am in a fair way of gaining six more crowns.”
”By Heaven! that is true! I always heard that the Huguenots had good luck at cards. Devil take me if I haven't a good mind to turn Huguenot!”
La Huriere's eyes sparkled like two coals; but Coconnas, absorbed in his game, did not notice them. ”Do so, count, do so,” said La Mole, ”and though the way in which the change came about is odd, you will be well received among us.”
Coconnas scratched his ear.
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