"I congratulate you, monsieur," said Ernanton, quietly, and he entered
in his turn.

St. Maline waited impatiently until he came out again, which he did in
about ten minutes, although it appeared an hour to St. Maline.

When Ernanton came out, he looked all over him, and seeing nothing, he
cried joyfully, "And you, monsieur, what has he given to you?"

"His hand to kiss," replied Ernanton.

St. Maline crushed his chain impatiently in his hands, and they both
returned in silence. As they entered the hall, the trumpet sounded, and
at this signal all the Forty-five came out of their rooms, wondering
what was the matter; while they profited by this reunion to examine each
other. Most of them were richly dressed, though generally in bad taste.
They all had a military tournour, and long swords, boots and gloves of
buckskin or buffalo, all well gilded or well greased, were almost
universal.

The most discreet might be known by their quiet colors, the most
economical by the substantial character of their equipments, and the
most gay by their white or rose-colored satins. Perducas de Pincornay
had bought from some Jew a gold chain as thick as a cable; Pertinax de
Montcrabeau was all bows and embroidery: he had bought his costume from
a merchant who had purchased it of a gentleman who had been wounded by
robbers. It was rather stained with blood and dirt, it was true, but he
had managed to clean it tolerably. There remained two holes made by the
daggers of the robbers, but Pertinax had had them embroidered in gold.

Eustache de Miradoux did not shine; he had had to clothe Lardille,
Militor, and the two children. All the gentlemen were there admiring
each other, when M. de Loignac entered frowning, and placed himself in
front of them, with a countenance anything but agreeable.

"Gentlemen," said he, "are you all here?"

"All!" they replied.

"Gentlemen, you have been summoned to Paris as a special guard to the
king; it is an honorable title, but it engages you to much. Some of you
seem not to have understood your duties; I will, therefore, recall them
to you. If you do not assist at the deliberations of the council, you
will constantly be called upon to execute the resolutions passed there;
therefore, the responsibility of those secrets rests upon you. Suppose
now that one of the officers on whom the safety of the state and the
tranquillity of the crown reposes, betray the secrets of the council, or
a soldier charged wi