ny who might be displeasing to her."

Here Gonzague sighed profoundly and summoned to his face the expression
of a much-wronged, grievously misappreciated man. After an interval,
which the hunchback silently respected, Gonzague resumed:

"If she were to find you here the princess might be, would be, pained;
but if, indeed, you think you have any arguments that would serve to
influence her mind, you could explain your presence as owing to ignorance
due to the newness of your service here."

AEsop nodded sagaciously. "I understand," he said. "Leave it to me. And
now if your highness will place those two fellows at my disposal, I will
give them their instructions."

The prince rose and turned to Peyrolles. "Send the men to Master AEsop,"
he commanded.

Peyrolles went to the door of the antechamber, and returned in an instant
with Cocardasse and Passepoil, now both gorgeously dressed in an
extravagantly modish manner, which became them, if possible, less than
their previous rags and tatters. Both men saluted Gonzague profoundly,
and both started at seeing the hunchback standing apart from them with
averted face.

Gonzague pointed to the hunchback. "Obey Master AEsop, gentlemen, as you
would obey me." The two bravos bowed respectfully. Gonzague turned to the
hunchback and spoke in a lower tone: "Find this Lagardere for me, and we
will soon break his invincible sword."

"How?" the hunchback questioned, with a faint note of irony in his
voice.

Gonzague continued: "By the hands of the hang-man, Master AEsop. Do your
best. Those who serve me well serve themselves."

The hunchback answered, slowly: "Whenever you want me, I am here."

Gonzague, in spite of himself, started at the hunchback's last words, but
the demeanor of AEsop was so simple and his bearing so respectful that
Gonzague was convinced that their use was purely accident. He looked at
his watch. "I must prepare for the ceremony," he said. "Come with me,
Peyrolles," and the prince and his henchman quitted the apartment.

The hunchback muttered to himself: "The sword of Lagardere has yet a duty
to perform before it be broken." Then he turned to Cocardasse and
Passepoil where they stood apart: "Well, friends, do you remember me?"

Cocardasse answered him, thoughtfully: "'Tis a long time since we met,
AEsop."

Passepoil, as usual, commented on his comrade's remark: "It might have
been longer with advantage."

Indifferent to the bravos' obvious distaste f