ine of the best
vintage of Chambertin. By adding to the agreeable images which this
promise called up in his mind, the society of the duke, who in the
main was such an excellent fellow, who played Monsieur de Chavigny
such capital tricks, and made such biting jokes against the cardinal,
La Ramee had composed a picture of a perfectly delightful evening,
which he looked forward to with proportionate jubilation, and with an
impatience almost equalling that of the duke. His first visit that
morning had been to the pastrycook, who had shown him the crust of a
gigantic pasty, decorated at the top with the arms of Monsieur de
Beaufort. The said crust was still empty, but beside it were a
pheasant and two partridges, so minutely and closely larded, that each
of them looked like a cushion stuck full of pins. La Ramee's mouth
watered at the sight.

Early in the day, M. de Beaufort went to play at ball with La Ramee; a
sign from Grimaud warned him to pay attention to every thing. Grimaud
walked before them, as if to point out the road that he and the duke
would have to take that evening. The place where they were in the
habit of playing was the smaller court of the fortress--a solitary
enclosure, where sentinels were only stationed when the duke was
there; even that precaution seeming unnecessary, on account of the
great height of the ramparts. There were three doors to open before
reaching this court, and each door was opened with a different key.
All three keys were kept by La Ramee. When they reached the court,
Grimaud seated himself negligently in one of the embrasures, his legs
dangling outside the wall. The duke understood that the rope-ladder
was to be fixed at that place. This, and other manoeuvres,
comprehensible enough to M. de Beaufort, and carefully noted by him,
had, of course, no intelligible meaning for La Ramee.

The game began. M. de Beaufort was in play, and sent the balls
wherever he liked; La Ramee could not win a game. When they had
finished playing, the duke, whilst rallying La Ramee on his ill
success, pulled out a couple of louis-d'ors, and offered them to his
guards, who had followed him to the court to pick up the balls,
telling them to go and drink his health. The guards asked La Ramee's
permission, which he gave, but for the evening only. Up to that time
he had various important matters to arrange, some of which would
require him to absent himself from his prisoner, whom he did not wish
to be lost si