Part 9 (1/2)
”Monsieur, so has happened upon which we could not reckon”
”What?”
”His majesty Louis XIV will enter our city to-day, and will remain here one day, perhaps two”
Great astonishment was painted on the countenance of the unknown
”The King of France is co to Blois?”
”He is on the road, er reason for ,” said the unknown
”Very well; but will monsieur keep all the apartments?”
”I do not understand you Why should I require less to-day than yesterday?”
”Because, monsieur, your lordshi+p will permit me to say, yesterday I did not think proper, when you chose your lodging, to fix any price that ed your resources; whilst to-day--”
The unknown colored; the idea at once struck hi insulted
”Whilst to-day,” replied he, coldly, ”you do not prejudge”
”Monsieur, I a man, thank God! and sientleman My father was a servant and officer of the late Marechal d'Ancre God rest his soul!”
”I do not contest that point with you; I only wish to know, and that quickly, to what your questions tend?”
”You are too reasonable, monsieur, not to comprehend that our city is small, that the court is about to invade it, that the houses will be overfloith inhabitants, and that lodgings will consequently obtain considerable prices”
Again the unknown colored ”Name your terms,” said he
”I naain, and that I wish to carry on ant in my demands Now the room you occupy is considerable, and you are alone”
”That is my business”
”Oh! certainly I do not mean to turn monsieur out”
The blood rushed to the temples of the unknown; he darted at poor Cropole, the descendant of one of the officers of the Marechal d'Ancre, a glance that would have crushed him down to beneath that famous chimney-slab, if Cropole had not been nailed to the spot by the question of his own proper interests
”Do you desire o?” said he ”Explain yourself--but quickly”
”Monsieur, monsieur, you do not understandI express ner, which I perceive by his accent--”
In fact, the unknown spoke with that ilish accentuation, even areatest purity
”As ner, I say, it is perhaps he who does not catch ive up one or two of the apartments he occupies, which would diminish his expenses and ease my conscience Indeed, it is hard to increase unreasonably the price of the chambers, when one has had the honor to let them at a reasonable price”
”How much does the hire amount to since yesterday?”