(Signed) THE CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU.'
When he had done--he read the signature with a peculiar
intonation--someone said softly, 'VIVE LE ROI!' and there was a
moment's silence. The sergeant lowered his lanthorn. 'Is it
enough?' I said hoarsely, glaring from face to face.
The Lieutenant bowed stiffly.
'For me?' he said. 'Quite, Monsieur. I beg your pardon again.
I find that my first impressions were the correct ones.
Sergeant! give the gentleman his papers!' and, turning his
shoulder rudely, he tossed the commission to the sergeant, who
gave it to me, grinning.
I knew that the clown would not fight, and he had his men round
him; and I had no choice but to swallow the insult. I put the
paper in my breast, with as much indifference as I could assume;
and as I did so, he gave a sharp order. The troopers began to
form on the edge above; the men who had descended to climb the
bank again.
As the group behind him began to open and melt away, I caught
sight of a white robe in the middle of it. The next moment,
appearing with a suddenness which was like a blow on the cheek to
me, Mademoiselle de Cocheforet glided forward towards me.
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