who wants to speak to your
eminence."

"And who is he, idiot?"

"An employe of the royal library, who, in his spare time, makes copies."

"And what does he want?"

"He says that he has an important revelation to make to your eminence."

"Oh! it is some poor fellow begging."

"No, monseigneur; he says that it is a political affair."

"Diable! about what?"

"Relative to Spain."

"Send him in; and you, gossip, go into this closet."

"What for?"

"Suppose my writer and your captain should know each other?"

"Ah, that would be droll."

"Come, get in quickly."

La Fillon entered the closet which Dubois showed her.

An instant afterward, the usher opened the door and announced Monsieur
Jean Buvat.

We must now show how this important personage came to be received in
private audience by the archbishop of Cambray.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE PRINCE DE LISTHNAY'S ACCOMPLICE.

We left Buvat going up to his own room, with his papers in his hand, to
fulfill his promise to the Prince de Listhnay, and this promise was so
scrupulously kept, that by seven o'clock the next evening the copy was
finished and taken to the Rue du Bac. He then received from the same
august hands some more work, which he returned with the same
punctuality; so that the Prince de Listhnay, feeling confidence in a man
who had given such proofs of exactitude, gave him at once sufficient
papers to necessitate an interval of three or four days between this
interview and the next. Buvat was delighted with this mark of
confidence, and, on his return, set himself gayly to his work; and,
although he found that he did not understand a word of Spanish, he could
now read it fluently, and had become so accustomed to it, that he felt
quite disappointed when he found among the copies one all in French. It
had no number, and almost appeared to have slipped in by mistake; but he
resolved, nevertheless, to copy it. He began with these lines:

"Confidential.

"For his Excellency Monsieur Alberoni in person.

"Nothing is more important than to make sure of the places near the
Pyrenees, and of the noblemen who reside in these cantons."

"In these cantons!" repeated Buvat, after having written it; then,
taking a hair from his pen, he continued:

"To gain or master the garrison of Bayonne."

"What is that?" said Buvat. "Is not Bayonne a French town? Let us
see--let us see;" and he continued:

"The Marquis de P---- is governor of D----. One knows the