gs had come to a point where M. le Duc looked pretty black at any
application for funds--he has other uses for his gold, you see. One day
Monsieur was expecting some one to whom he was to pay a thousand
pistoles, and to have the money handy he put it in a secret drawer in
his cabinet in the room yonder. The man arrives and is taken to
Monsieur's private room. Monsieur gives him his orders and goes to the
cabinet for his pistoles. No pistoles there!"

Marcel paused dramatically. "And what then?" I asked.

"Well, it appears he had once shown M. le Comte the trick of the drawer,
so he sent for him--not to accuse him, mind you. For M. le Comte is wild
enough, yet Monsieur did not think he would steal pistoles, nor would
he, I will stake my oath. No, Monsieur merely asked him if he had ever
shown any one the drawer, and M. le Comte answered, 'Only Grammont.'"

And how have you learned all this?"

"Oh, one hears."

"One does, with one's ears to the keyhole."

"It behooves you, Felix, to be civil to your better!"

I made pretence of looking about me.

"Where is he?"

"He sits here. I am page to the Duke of St. Quentin. And you?"

"Touche!" I admitted bitterly enough. Little Marcel, my junior, my
unquestioning follower in the old days, was now indeed my better, quite
in a position to patronize.

"Continue, if you please, Marcel. Yet, in passing, I should like to ask
you how much you heard our talk in there just now."

"Nothing," he answered candidly. "When they are so far down the room one
cannot hear a word. In the affair of the pistoles they stood near the
cabinet at this end. One could not help but hear. As for listening at
keyholes, I scorn it."

"Yes, it is well to scorn it. People have an unpleasant trick of opening
doors so suddenly."

He laughed cheerfully.

"Old Vigo caught us, certes. Let's see, where was I? Oh, yes, then
Monsieur put on his proud look and said, if it was a case of no one but
his son and his cousin, he preferred to drop the matter. But M. le Comte
got out of him what the trouble was and went off for Grammont, red as
fire. The two together came back to Monsieur and denied up and down
that either of them knew aught of his pistoles, or had told of the
secret to any one. They say it was easy to see that Monsieur did not
believe Grammont, but he did not give him the lie, and the matter came
near dropping there, for M. le Duc would not accuse a kinsman. But then
Lucas gave a new turn to t