"St. Gris!" He exclaimed with animation.
"Where? At the same house?"

"No, sire; in the Rue Cloitre Notre Dame."

"You have got him, then?"

"I know who he is, and why he is doing this."

"Why?" the King cried eagerly.

"Well, I was going to ask for your Majesty's company to the place," I
answered smiling. "I will undertake that you shall be amused at least
as well as here, and at a cheaper rate."

He shrugged his shoulders. "That may very well be," he said with a
grimace. "That rogue Pimentel has stripped me of two thousand crowns
since supper. He is plucking Bassompierre now."

Remembering that only that morning I had had to stop some necessary
works through lack of means, I could scarcely restrain my indignation.
But it was not the time to speak, and I contented myself with repeating
my request. Ashamed of himself, he consented with a good grace, and
bidding me go to his: closet, followed a few minutes later. He found
me cloaked to the eyes, and with a soutane and priest's hat; on my arm.
"Are those for me?" he said.

"Yes, sire."

"Who am I, then?"

"The cure of St. Germain."

He made a wry face. "Come, Grand Master," he said; "he died yesterday.
Is not the jest rather grim?"

"In a good cause," I said equably.

He flashed a roguish look at me. "Ah!" he said, "I thought that that
was a wicked rule which only we Romanists avowed. But, there; don't be
angry. I am ready."

Coquet, the Master of the Household, let us out by one of the river
gates, and we went by the new bridge and the Pont St. Michel. By the
way I taught the King the role I wished him to play, but without
explaining the mystery; the opportune appearance of one of my agents
who was watching the end of the street bringing Henry's remonstrances
to a close.

"It is still open?" I said.

"Yes, your excellency."

"Then come, sire," I said, "I see the boy yonder. Let us ascend, and I
will undertake that before you reach the street again you shall be not
only a wiser but a richer sovereign."

"St. Gris!" he answered with alacrity. "Why did you not say that
before, and I should have asked no questions. On, on, in God's name,
and the devil take Pimentel!"

I restrained the caustic jest that rose to my lips, and we proceeded in
silence down the street. The boy, whom I had espied loitering in a
doorway a little way ahead, as if the great bell above us which had
just tolled eleven had drawn him out, peered at us a m