and know positively that, on the contrary, it is very fine
weather in that direction." Man of ability as he was, Louis XVIII. liked
a pleasant jest.

"Sire," continued M. de Blacas, "if it only be to reassure a faithful
servant, will your majesty send into Languedoc, Provence, and Dauphine,
trusty men, who will bring you back a faithful report as to the feeling
in these three provinces?"

"Caninus surdis," replied the king, continuing the annotations in his
Horace.

"Sire," replied the courtier, laughing, in order that he might seem
to comprehend the quotation, "your majesty may be perfectly right in
relying on the good feeling of France, but I fear I am not altogether
wrong in dreading some desperate attempt."

"By whom?"

"By Bonaparte, or, at least, by his adherents."

"My dear Blacas," said the king, "you with your alarms prevent me from
working."

"And you, sire, prevent me from sleeping with your security."

"Wait, my dear sir, wait a moment; for I have such a delightful note on
the Pastor quum traheret--wait, and I will listen to you afterwards."

There was a brief pause, during which Louis XVIII. wrote, in a hand as
small as possible, another note on the margin of his Horace, and then
looking at the duke with the air of a man who thinks he has an idea of
his own, while he is only commenting upon the idea of another, said,--

"Go on, my dear duke, go on--I listen."

"Sire," said Blacas, who had for a moment the hope of sacrificing
Villefort to his own profit, "I am compelled to tell you that these are
not mere rumors destitute of foundation which thus disquiet me; but a
serious-minded man, deserving all my confidence, and charged by me to
watch over the south" (the duke hesitated as he pronounced these words),
"has arrived by post to tell me that a great peril threatens the king,
and so I hastened to you, sire."

"Mala ducis avi domum," continued Louis XVIII., still annotating.

"Does your majesty wish me to drop the subject?"

"By no means, my dear duke; but just stretch out your hand."

"Which?"

"Whichever you please--there to the left."

"Here, sire?"

"I tell you to the left, and you are looking to the right; I mean on my
left--yes, there. You will find yesterday's report of the minister of
police. But here is M. Dandre himself;" and M. Dandre, announced by the
chamberlain-in-waiting, entered.

"Come in," said Louis XVIII., with repressed smile, "come in, Baron, and
tell the duke all