My friend, if you were to promise me the price of heaven, I would
decline to disturb myself at this moment." Malicorne chinked the money
in his pocket.

"There are twenty pistoles here," said Malicorne.

"And what would you do with twenty pistoles, mon Dieu!"

"Well!" said Malicorne, a little angrily, "suppose I were to add them to
the five hundred you already owe me?"

"You are right," replied Manicamp, stretching out his hand again, "and
from that point of view I can accept them. Give them to me."

"An instant, what the devil! it is not only holding out your hand that
will do; if I give you the twenty pistoles, shall I have my brevet?"

"To be sure you shall."

"Soon?"

"To-day."

"Oh! take care! Monsieur de Manicamp; you undertake much, and I do not
ask that. Thirty leagues in a day is too much, you would kill yourself."

"I think nothing impossible when obliging a friend."

"You are quite heroic."

"Where are the twenty pistoles?"

"Here they are," said Malicorne, showing them.

"That's well."

"Yes, but my dear M. Manicamp, you would consume them in post-horses
alone!"

"No, no, make yourself easy on that score."

"Pardon me. Why, it is fifteen leagues from this place to Etampes?"

"Fourteen."

"Well! fourteen be it; fourteen leagues makes seven posts; at twenty
sous the post, seven livres; seven livres the courier, fourteen; as many
for coming back, twenty-eight! as much for bed and supper, that makes
sixty livres this complaisance would cost."

Manicamp stretched himself like a serpent in his bed, and fixing his two
great eyes upon Malicorne, "You are right," said he; "I could not return
before to-morrow;" and he took the twenty pistoles.

"Now, then, be off!"

"Well, as I cannot be back before to-morrow, we have time."

"Time for what?"

"Time to play."

"What do you wish to play with?

"Your twenty pistoles, pardieu!"

"No; you always win."

"I will wager them, then."

"Against what?"

"Against twenty others."

"And what shall be the object of the wager?"

"This. We have said it was fourteen leagues to Etampes?"

"Yes."

"And fourteen leagues back?

"Doubtless."

"Well; for these twenty-eight leagues you cannot allow less than
fourteen hours?"

"That is agreed."

"One hour to find the Comte de Guiche.

"Go on."

"And an hour to persuade him to write a letter to Monsieur."

"Just so."

"Sixteen hours in all?"

"You reckon as well as M. Colbert."

"I