t quiet tone that he
cared nothing whether I spoke, I should scarce have been able to utter
my words fast enough. But there was so strange a twist in Lucas's nature
that he must sometimes thwart his own interests, value his caprice above
his prosperity. Also, in this case his story was no triumphant one. But
at length he did begin it:

"I went to Belin to inform him that day before yesterday Etienne de Mar
murdered his lackey, Pontou, in Mar's house in the Rue Coupejarrets."

"Was that your errand?" Mayenne said, looking up in slow surprise. "My
faith! your oaths to Lorance trouble you little."

Lucas started forward sharply. "Do you tell me you did not know my
purpose?"

"I knew, of course, that you were up to some warlockry," Mayenne
answered; "I did not concern myself to discover what."

"There speaks the general! There speaks the gentleman!" Lucas cried out.
"A general hangs a spy, yet he profits by spying. The spy runs the
risks, incurs the shames; the general sits in his tent, his honour
untarnished, pocketing all the glory. Faugh, you gentlemen! You will not
do dirty work, but you will have it done for you. You sit at home with
clean hands and eyes that see not, while we go forth to serve you. You
are the Duke of Mayenne. I am your bastard nephew, living on your
favour. But you go too far when you sneer at my smirches."

He was on his feet, standing over Mayenne, his face blazing. M. Etienne
made an instinctive step forward, thinking him about to knife the duke.
But Mayenne, as we well knew, was no craven.

"Be a little quieter, Paul," he said, unmoved. "You will have the guard
in, in a moment."

Lucas held absolutely still for a second. So did Mayenne. He knew that
Lucas, standing, could stab quicker than he defend. He sat there with
both hands on the table, looking composedly up at his nephew. Lucas
flung away across the room.

"I shall have dismissed these people directly," Mayenne continued. "Then
you can tell me your tale."

"I can tell it now in two words," Lucas answered, coming abruptly back.
"Belin signed the warrant, and sent a young ass of the burgher guard
after Mar. I attended to some affairs of my own. Then after a time I
went round to the Trois Lanternes to see if they had got him. He was not
there--only that cub of a boy of his. When I came in, he swore, the
innkeeper swore, the whole crew swore, I was Mar. The fool of an officer
arrested me."

I expected Mayenne to burst out laughin