"I thought as much. This _lady_," the tall man continued in a
sarcastic tone, "permit me to present you to Mademoiselle Florine,
waitress and decoy pigeon for Betrand's wine rooms, where gentlemen
sometimes play at dice."

He laughed again, and even the girl could muster up a smile now that
the danger had blown over.

"That is true, Mademoiselle?" I asked. She nodded.

"Then, good sirs, I'll fight no more in such a matter."

"And by my soul, comrade, right glad I am to hear you say it; for you
fight like a very devil of hell, and Carne Yvard knows a swordsman."

Carne Yvard! The very fellow I had been sent out to find, now by a
queer chance thrown full in my way. Verily, I was relieved to know I
could hold my own against this famous--or infamous--bravo. Another
thing gained; I knew my man while yet a stranger to him. And further,
I stumbled on the very place which of all others I desired to find.
Truly the chance was odd.

The two gentlemen upon the stair had not yet staunched their merriment,
while these thoughts coming so unexpectedly had swept from me every
recollection of the fight.

"Thou art not of Paris?" the spokesman asked again.

I heard him as a man hears something afar off, for my foot resting upon
the package which had been dropped, sent my mind a wandering again.
Could it be that this was a paper of importance, or possibly the very
one I desired? Why not? I resolved to possess it at every hazard.
Yet were I to stoop and pick it up now, and they saw me, I knew of no
means by which I might leave the place in safety. So I carelessly
shoved it with my foot farther into the shadow of the step. I answered
the question asked me so long before.

"No, my lord, the city is a strange one to me."

"Of what place, did you say?"

Now I had purposely refrained from saying, and did not know what reply
to give. I hated to appear boorish, besides it would not serve my
purpose. My father being of Normandy, I deemed I would have nearly the
accent of those people, so I made a venture to say:

"Of Normandy, sir," in such a way he did not pursue the subject further.

"We thought you no Parisian, or this lady would not have made so easy a
conquest," and they laughed again.

"Do you play?" he queried.

"But rarely, my lord," the fact was I knew little of the dice.

They put about and ascended the stair, the two together, then Yvard, I
coming on behind, but not until the packet, from which I hoped so