able respect, a respect that had been greatly shaken by
Cocardasse's audacious and insolent treatment of the satellite of
Gonzague. Now the bravo seemed ready to resent receiving an order from
his employer's go-between. Peyrolles prudently took no notice of his
sullenness. "Good-evening, gentlemen," he said, and walked towards the
door. As he reached it, he turned again and spoke significantly:
"Remember--if you fail, no pay."

Cocardasse grinned impudently at him. "Sleep in peace, Monsieur
Peyrolles." Peyrolles made a wry face and went out.

As soon as he had gone the bravos gathered about Cocardasse and patted
him enthusiastically on the back. Only AEsop remained in his corner,
apparently indifferent to the whole proceedings.

"Well done, comrade," cried Passepoil, wringing the hand of his
brother-in-arms; and the others, whose pay had been so notably increased
by the diplomacy of Cocardasse, were equally as effusive in their
expressions of gratitude.

Cocardasse met their applause with an impressive monosyllable. "Wine," he
said to Martine, who had peeped in to see if her services were needed,
and in a twinkling the pannikins were filled again and lifted to eight
thirsty mouths, and set down again empty of their contents. The first
business was to share the contents of Monsieur Peyrolles's bag, which
Staupitz duly divided according to the original understanding, giving
each man twenty-five pistoles, and keeping the remainder for himself. By
this time the ink on the promissory note was dry, and Staupitz folded it
up carefully and put it in his pocket.

After this for another half-hour the talk was all about the young Duke de
Nevers and his secret thrust, and the woman he loved, and the Prince de
Gonzague, his friend, who meant to kill him. Here, as before, AEsop
dominated the party by his superior knowledge of all the individuals in
the little tragedy in which they were invited to play subordinate parts.
He told them of the life feud between the family of Caylus and the family
of Nevers, a feud as bitter as that of the Capulets and Montagues of old
time. He told them of Gonzague's passions, Gonzague's poverty. He told
them all about Monsieur Peyrolles, Gonzague's discreet and infamous
factotum. He told them, also, being as it seemed a very gold-mine of
court scandals, much of the third Louis, the august friend of Louis of
Nevers and Louis of Gonzague, the third Louis who was the king of
France.

The bravos hung