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you 〃
〃I answer for him；〃 said the curate。
〃Here is a bag containing five hundred pistoles in gold；
make all your arrangements； and tell me where I shall be
able to find you this evening at ten o'clock。〃
〃It must be on some elevated place； whence a given signal
may be seen in every part of Paris。〃
〃Shall I give you a line for the vicar of St。 Jacques de la
Boucherie？ he will let you into the rooms in his tower；〃
said the curate。
〃Capital；〃 answered the mendicant。
〃Then；〃 said the coadjutor； 〃this evening； at ten o'clock；
and if I am pleased with you another bag of five hundred
pistoles will be at your disposal。〃
The eyes of the mendicant dashed with cupidity； but he
quickly suppressed his emotion。
〃This evening； sir；〃 he replied； 〃all will be ready。〃
46
The Tower of St。 Jacques de la Boucherie。
At a quarter to six o'clock； Monsieur de Gondy； having
finished his business； returned to the archiepiscopal
palace。
At six o'clock the curate of St。 Merri was announced。
The coadjutor glanced rapidly behind and saw that he was
followed by another man。 The curate then entered； followed
by Planchet。
〃Your holiness；〃 said the curate； 〃here is the person of
whom I had the honor to speak to you。〃
Planchet saluted in the manner of one accustomed to fine
houses。
〃And you are disposed to serve the cause of the people？〃
asked Gondy。
〃Most undoubtedly；〃 said Planchet。 〃I am a Frondist from my
heart。 You see in me； such as I am； a person sentenced to be
hung。〃
〃And on what account？〃
〃I rescued from the hands of Mazarin's police a noble lord
whom they were conducting back to the Bastile； where he had
been for five years。〃
〃Will you name him？〃
〃Oh； you know him well； my lord it is Count de
Rochefort。〃
〃Ah！ really； yes；〃 said the coadjutor； 〃I have heard this
affair mentioned。 You raised the whole district； so they
told me！〃
〃Very nearly；〃 replied Planchet； with a self…satisfied air。
〃And your business is 〃
〃That of a confectioner； in the Rue des Lombards。〃
〃Explain to me how it happens that； following so peaceful a
business； you had such warlike inclinations。〃
〃Why does my lord； belonging to the church； now receive me
in the dress of an officer； with a sword at his side and
spurs to his boots？〃
〃Not badly answered； i'faith；〃 said Gondy； laughing； 〃but I
have； you must know； always had； in spite of my bands；
warlike inclinations。〃
〃Well； my lord； before I became a confectioner I myself was
three years sergeant in the Piedmontese regiment； and before
I became sergeant I was for eighteen months the servant of
Monsieur d'Artagnan。〃
〃The lieutenant of musketeers？〃 asked Gondy。
〃Himself； my lord。〃
〃But he is said to be a furious Mazarinist。〃
〃Phew！〃 whistled Planchet。
〃What do you mean by that？〃
〃Nothing； my lord； Monsieur d'Artagnan belongs to the
service； Monsieur d'Artagnan makes it his business to defend
the cardinal； who pays him； as much as we make it ours； we
citizens； to attack him； whom he robs。〃
〃You are an intelligent fellow； my friend； can we count upon
you？〃
〃You may count upon me； my lord； provided you want to make a
complete upheaval of the city。〃
〃'Tis that exactly。 How many men； think you； you could
collect together to…night？〃
〃Two hundred muskets and five hundred halberds。〃
〃Let there be only one man in every district who can do as
much and by to…morrow we shall have quite a powerful army。
Are you disposed to obey Count de Rochefort？〃
〃I would follow him to hell； and that is saying not a
little； as I believe him entirely capable of the descent。〃
〃Bravo！〃
〃By what sign to…morrow shall we be able to distinguish
friends from foes？〃
〃Every Frondist must put a knot of straw in his hat。〃
〃Good！ Give the watchword。〃
〃Do you want money？〃
〃Money never comes amiss at any time； my lord； if one has it
not； one must do without it； with it； matters go on much
better and more rapidly。〃
Gondy went to a box and drew forth a bag。
〃Here are five hundred pistoles；〃 he said； 〃and if the
action goes off well you may reckon upon a similar sum
to…morrow。〃
〃I will give a faithful account of the sum to your
lordship；〃 said Planchet； putting the bag under his arm。
〃That is right； I recommend the cardinal to your attention。〃
〃Make your mind easy； he is in good hands。〃
Planchet went out； the curate remaining for a moment
〃Are you satisfied； my lord？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； he appears to be a resolute fellow。〃
〃Well； he will do more than he has promised。〃
〃He will do wonders then。〃
The curate rejoined Planchet； who was waiting for him on the
stairs。 Ten minutes later the curate of St。 Sulpice was
announced。 As soon as the door of Gondy's study was opened a
man rushed in。 It was the Count de Rochefort。
〃'Tis you； then； my dear count；〃 cried Gondy； offering his
hand。
〃You have made up your mind at last； my lord？〃 said
Rochefort。
〃It has been made up a long time；〃 said Gondy。
〃Let us say no more on the subject； you tell me so； I
believe you。 Well； we are going to give a ball to Mazarin。〃
〃I hope so。〃
〃And when will the dance begin？〃
〃The invitations are given for this evening；〃 said the
coadjutor； 〃but the violins will not begin to play until
to…morrow morning。〃
〃You may reckon upon me and upon fifty soldiers which the
Chevalier d'Humieres has promised me whenever I need them。〃
〃Upon fifty soldiers？〃
〃Yes； he is making recruits and he will lend them to me； if
any are missing when the fete is over； I shall replace
them。〃
〃Good； my dear Rochefort； but that is not all。 What have you
done with Monsieur de Beaufort？〃
〃He is in Vendome； where he will wait until I write to him
to return to Paris。〃
〃Write to him； now's the time。〃
〃You are sure of your enterprise？〃
〃Yes； but he must make haste； for hardly will the people of
Paris have revolted before we shall have a score of princes
begging to lead them。 If he defers he will find the place of
honor taken。〃
〃Shall I send word to him as coming from you？〃
〃Yes certainly。〃
〃Shall I tell him that he can count on you？〃
〃To the end。〃
〃And you will leave the command to him？〃
〃Of the war； yes； but in politics 〃
〃You must know it is not his element。〃
〃He must leave me to negotiate for my cardinal's hat in my
own fashion。〃
〃You care about it； then； so much？〃
〃Since they force me to wear a hat of a form which does not
become me；〃 said Gondy； 〃I wish at least that the hat should
be red。〃
〃One must not dispute matters of taste and colors；〃 said
Rochefort； laughing。 〃I answer for his consent。〃
〃How soon can he be here？〃
〃In five days。〃
〃Let him come and he will find a change； I will answer for
it。〃
〃Therefore； go and collect your fifty men and hold yourself
in readiness。〃
〃For what？〃
〃For everything。〃
〃Is there any signal for the general rally？〃
〃A knot of straw in the hat。〃
〃Very good。 Adieu； my lord。〃
〃Adieu； my dear Rochefort。〃
〃Ah； Monsieur Mazarin； Monsieur Mazarin；〃 said Rochefort；
leading off his curate； who had not found an opportunity of
uttering a single word during the foregoing dialogue； 〃you
will see whether I am too old to be a man of action。〃
It was half…past nine o'clock and the coadjutor required
half an hour to go from the archbishop's palace to the tower
of St