I'll answer for it."

"Ah! Monsieur de Besme!" cried Coconnas; "of course I know you! with the
greatest pleasure. Here is the letter. Pardon my hesitation; but
fidelity requires one to be careful."

"Goot, goot! dere iss no need of any egscuse," said Besme.

"Perhaps, sir," said La Mole, "you will be so kind as to the same for my
letter that you have done for my friend?"

"And vat iss your name, monsir?"

"The Comte Lerac de la Mole."

"Gount Lerag dee la Mole?"

"Yes."

"I don't know de name."

"It is not strange that I have not the honor of being known to you, sir,
for like the Comte de Coconnas I am only just arrived in Paris."

"Where do you gome from?"

"From Provence."

"Vit a ledder?"

"Yes."

"For Monsir dee Gouise?"

"No; for his majesty the King of Navarre."

"I do not pelong to de King of Navarre," said De Besme coldly, "and
derefore I gannot dake your ledder."

And turning on his heel, he entered the Louvre, bidding Coconnas follow
him.

La Mole was left alone.

At this moment a troop of cavaliers, about a hundred in number, came out
from the Louvre by a gate alongside that of which Besme and Coconnas had
entered.

"Aha!" said the sentinel to his comrade, "there are De Mouy and his
Huguenots! See how joyous they all are! The King has probably promised
them to put to death the assassin of the admiral; and as it was he who
murdered De Mouy's father, the son will kill two birds with one stone."

"Excuse me, my good fellow," interrupted La Mole, "did you not say that
officer is M. de Mouy?"

"Yes, sir."

"And that those with him are"--

"Are heretics--I said so."

"Thank you," said La Mole, affecting not to notice the scornful word
_parpaillots_, employed by the sentinel. "That was all I wished to
know;" and advancing to the chief of the cavaliers:

"Sir," said he, "I am told you are M. de Mouy."

"Yes, sir," returned the officer, courteously.

"Your name, well known among those of our faith, emboldens me to address
you, sir, to ask a special favor."

"What may that be, sir,--but first whom have I the honor of addressing?"

"The Comte Lerac de la Mole."

The young men bowed to each other.

"What can I do for you, sir?" asked De Mouy.

"Sir, I am just arrived from Aix, and bring a letter from M. d'Auriac,
Governor of Provence. This letter is directed to the King of Navarre and
contains important and pressing news. How can I give it to him? How can
I enter the Louvre?