!' the lad cried, exploding at last. He had
spirit enough, and the Marquis had had hard work to restrain him so
long. 'You do me no service, M. de Pombal,' he continued, pettishly
shaking off his friend's hand. 'By your leave, this gentleman and I will
settle this matter.'

'That is better,' I said, nodding drily, while the Marquis stood aside,
frowning and baffled. 'Permit me to lead the way.'

Zaton's eating-house stands scarcely a hundred paces from St Jacques la
Boucherie, and half the company went thither with us. The evening was
wet, the light in the streets was waning, the streets themselves were
dirty and slippery. There were few passers in the Rue St Antoine; and
our party, which earlier in the day must have attracted notice and a
crowd, crossed unmarked, and entered without interruption the paved
triangle which lies immediately behind the church. I saw in the distance
one of the Cardinal's guard loitering in front of the scaffolding round
the new Hotel Richelieu; and the sight of the uniform gave me pause for
a moment. But it was too late to repent.

The Englishman began at once to strip off his clothes. I closed mine
to the throat, for the air was chilly. At that moment, while we stood
preparing, and most of the company seemed a little inclined to stand off
from me, I felt a hand on my arm, and turning, saw the dwarfish tailor
at whose house, in the Rue Savonnerie, I lodged at the time. The
fellow's presence was unwelcome, to say the least of it; and though for
want of better company I had sometimes encouraged him to be free with
me at home, I took that to be no reason why I should be plagued with
him before gentlemen. I shook him off, therefore, hoping by a frown to
silence him.

He was not to be so easily put down, however, and perforce I had to
speak to him.

'Afterwards, afterwards,' I said hurriedly. 'I am engaged now.

'For God's sake, don't, sir!' the poor fool cried, clinging to my
sleeve. 'Don't do it! You will bring a curse on the house. He is but a
lad, and--'

'You, too!' I exclaimed, losing patience. 'Be silent, you scum! What do
you know about gentlemen's quarrels? Leave me; do you hear?'

'But the Cardinal!' he cried in a quavering voice. 'The Cardinal, M. de
Berault! The last man you killed is not forgotten yet. This time he will
be sure to--'

'Leave me, do you hear?' I hissed. The fellow's impudence passed all
bounds. It was as bad as his croaking. 'Begone!' I added. 'I suppose yo