Part 23 (2/2)
”Not at all; he set off at one o'clock this morning to visit his country house with his wife.”
”Banished?”
”It looks like it.”
”Impossible!”
”True as the gospel; Marshal de Brissac told me so this morning.”
”Well! it has served M. de Monsoreau----”
”Ah! I know now.”
”Know what?”
”The service that he rendered to the duke.”
”Who? St. Luc?”
”No; Monsoreau.”
”Really.”
”Yes, you shall see; come with me,” and Bussy, followed by Livarot and Antragues, galloped after the Duc d'Anjou.
”Ah, monseigneur,” said he, ”what a precious man M. de Monsoreau is.”
”Ah! really; then you spoke to him?”
”Certainly.”
”And asked him what he had done for me?”
”Certainly; that was all I spoke to him for.”
”And what did he say?”
”He courteously confessed that he was your purveyor.”
”Of game?”
”No; of women.”
”What do you mean, Bussy?” cried the duke angrily.
”I mean, monseigneur, that he carries away women for you on his great black horse, and that as they are ignorant of the honor reserved for them, he puts his hand on their mouths to prevent their crying out.”
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