LITMIR.BIZ

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in love with Monsieur de Canolles' mother, whose hand was denied him because she was of noble blood, and he a plebeian. Love undertook the task of remedying the mistakes of nature, as it often does; and during Monsieur de Canolles, the elder's, absence from home – Now do you understand?"

      "Yes; but how does it happen that this affection for Monsieur de Canolles took possession of you so recently?"

      "Because I never knew of the bond between us until my father's death; because the secret was made known to me in a letter handed me by the baron himself, who then addressed me as his sister."

      "Where is that letter?" queried the duke.

      "Have you forgotten the fire which consumed everything I owned, – all my most valuable jewels and papers?"

      "True," said the duke.

      "Twenty times I have been on the point of telling you the story, feeling sure that you would do everything for him whom I call my brother under my breath; but he has always prevented me, always begged me to spare his mother's reputation, for she is still living. I have respected his scruples because I appreciated them."

      "Ah! indeed!" said the duke, almost melted; "poor Canolles!"

      "And yet," continued Nanon, "when he refused to let me speak, he threw away his own fortune."

      "He's a high-minded youth," said the duke, "and his scruples do him honor."

      "I did more than respect his scruples, – I swore that the mystery should never be revealed to any one on earth; but your suspicions caused the cup to overflow. Woe is me! I have forgotten my oath! Woe is me! I have betrayed my brother's secret!"

      And Nanon burst into tears.

      The duke fell upon his knees and kissed her pretty hands, which hung dejectedly at her side, while her eyes were raised toward heaven, as if imploring God's forgiveness for her perjury.

      "You say, 'Woe is me!'" cried the duke; "say rather, 'Good luck for all!' I propose that poor Canolles shall make up for lost time. I don't know him, but I desire to know him. You shall present him to me, and I will love him like a son!"

      "Say like a brother," rejoined Nanon, with a smile.

      "Villanous informers!" she suddenly cried, passing to another train of thought, and crumpling the letter in her hand as if she proposed to throw it in the fire, but carefully placing it in her pocket, with a view of confronting its author with it later.

      "Now that I think of it," said the duke, "why shouldn't the rascal come here? Why should I wait any longer before seeing him? I'll send at once to the Golden Calf to bid him come."

      "Oh, of course," said Nanon, "so that he may know that I can conceal nothing from you, and that I have told you everything in utter disregard of my oath."

      "I will be careful."

      "Ah! Monsieur le Duc, do you wish me to quarrel with you?" retorted Nanon, with one of those smiles which demons borrow from angels.

      "How so, my dear love?"

      "Because you used to be more anxious for a tête-à-tête than now. Let us sup together, and to-morrow it will be time enough to send for Canolles. Between now and to-morrow," said Nanon to herself, "I shall have time to warn him."

      "So be it," said the duke; "let us sup."

      Haunted by a vestige of suspicion, he added, under his breath, —

      "Between now and to-morrow I will not leave her side, and if she succeeds in inventing any method of warning him, she's a sorceress."

      "And so," said Nanon, laying her hand upon the duke's shoulder, "I may venture to solicit my friend in my brother's interest?"

      "Most assuredly!" rejoined d'Épernon; "as much as you choose. Is it money?"

      "Money, indeed!" said Nanon. "He's in no need of money; indeed it was he who gave me the magnificent ring you have noticed, which was his mother's."

      "Promotion, then?" said the duke.

      "Ah! yes, promotion. We'll make him a colonel, won't we?"

      "Peste!/ how fast you go, my love! Colonel! To obtain that rank, he must have rendered his Majesty's cause some service."

      "He is ready to render that cause whatever service may be pointed out to him."

      "Indeed!" said the duke, looking at Nanon out of the corner of his eye, "I shall have occasion to send some one on a confidential mission to the court."

      "To the court!" exclaimed Nanon.

      "Yes," replied the old courtier; "but that would separate you."

      Nanon saw that she must take some means to destroy this remnant of suspicion.

      "Oh! don't be alarmed about that, my dear duke. What matters the separation, so long as there is profit in it? If he's near at hand, I can be of but little use to him – you are jealous; but, at a distance, you will extend your powerful patronage to him. Exile him, ex-patriate him if it's for his good, and don't be concerned about me. So long as I retain my dear duke's affection, have I not more than enough to make me happy?"

      "Very well, it's agreed," said the duke; "to-morrow morning I will send for him, and give him his instructions. And now, as you suggest," he continued, casting a much more amiable glance upon the two chairs, the two covers, and the two pillows; "and now, my love, let us sup."

      They took their places at the table, smiling amicably at each other; so that Francinette herself, although, in her capacity of confidential maid, she was well used to the duke's peculiarities and her mistress's character, believed that her mistress was perfectly tranquil in her mind, and the duke completely reassured.

      VII

      The gentleman whom Canolles greeted by the name of Richon, went up to the first floor of the Golden Calf, and was taking supper there with the viscount.

      He was the person whose coming the viscount was impatiently awaiting when chance made him a witness of Monsieur d'Épernon's hostile preparations, and made it possible for him to render Baron de Canolles the important service we have described.

      He had left Paris a week before, and Bordeaux the same day, and was therefore the bearer of recent news concerning the somewhat disturbed state of affairs, and the disquieting plots which were brewing all the way from Paris to Bordeaux. As he spoke, now of the imprisonment of the princes, which was the sensation of the day, again of the Parliament of Bordeaux, which was the ruling power of the neighborhood, and still again of Monsieur de Mazarin, who was the king of the moment, the young man silently watched his strong, bronzed face, his piercing, confident eye, his sharp, white teeth, which showed beneath his long, black moustache, – details which made Richon the perfect type of the true soldier of fortune.

      "And so," said the viscount, after his companion had told what he had to tell, "Madame la Princesse is now at Chantilly?"

      As is well known, both Duchesses de Condé were so called, but the additional title of Dowager was bestowed upon the elder of the two.

      "Yes, and they look for you there at the earliest possible moment," said Richon.

      "What is her situation?"

      "She is practically in exile; her movements as well as her mother-in-law's are watched with the utmost care, for there is a shrewd suspicion at court that they do not mean to confine themselves to petitions to parliament, and that they are concocting something for the benefit of the princes more likely to prove efficacious. Unfortunately, as always, money – Speaking of money, have you received what was due you? That is a question I was strongly urged to ask you."

      "I have succeeded with great difficulty in collecting about twenty thousand livres, and I have it with me in gold; that's all."

      "All! Peste! viscount, it's easy to see that you are a millionnaire. To talk so contemptuously of such a sum at such a time! Twenty thousand francs! We shall be poorer than Monsieur de Mazarin, but richer than the king."

      "Then you think that Madame la Princesse will accept my humble offering, Richon?"

      "Most gratefully; it is enough

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