er who, about this time, gained large sums from the Court at
play, and more than once compelled the King to have recourse to me. I
had the worst opinion of this man, and did not scruple to express it on
several occasions; and this the more, as his presumption fell little
short of his knavery, while he treated those whom he robbed with as
much arrogance as if to play with him were an honour. Holding this
view of him, I was far from pleased when I discovered that the King had
brought him to my house; but the feeling, though sufficiently strong,
sank to nothing beside the indignation and disgust which I experienced
when, the company having fallen to cards after supper, I found that the
Queen had sat down with him to primero.

It did not lessen my annoyance, that I had, after my usual fashion,
furnished the Queen with a purse for her sport; and in this way found
myself reduced to stand by and see my good money pass into the clutches
of this knave. Under the circumstances, and in my own house, I could
do nothing; nevertheless, the table at which they sat possessed so
strong a fascination for me that I several times caught myself staring
at it more closely than was polite; and as to disgust at the
unseemliness of such companionship was added vexation at my own loss, I
might have gone farther towards betraying my feelings if a casual
glance aside had not disclosed to me the fact that I did not stand
alone in my dissatisfaction; but that, frivolous as the majority of the
courtiers were, there was one at least among those present who viewed
this particular game with distaste.

This person stood near the door, and fancying himself secured from
observation, either by his position or his insignificance, was
glowering on the pair in a manner that at another time must have cost
him a rebuke. As it was, I found something friendly, as well as
curious, in his fixed frown; and ignorant of his name, though I knew
him by sight, wondered both who he was and what was the cause of his
preoccupation.

On the one point I had no difficulty in satisfying myself. Boisrueil,
who presently passed, told me that his name was Vallon; that he
belonged to a poor but old family in the Cotentin, and that he had been
only three months at court.

"Making his fortune, I suppose?" I said grimly. "He games?"

"No, your excellency."

"Is in debt?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"To whom does he pay his court, then?"

"To the King."

"And the Queen?