nt of
madness I had the audacity to threaten you."

"Yes, with a bullet which flew only a couple of inches above my head."

"Do you think so?"

"I am certain of it."

"If you are certain of it, Monsieur de la Mole," said La Huriere,
picking up his stew-pan with an innocent air, "I am too thoroughly at
your service to give you the lie."

"Well," said La Mole, "as far as I am concerned I make no demand upon
you."

"What, my dear gentleman"--

"Except"--

"Aie! aie!" groaned La Huriere.

"Except a dinner for myself and my friends every time I find myself in
your neighborhood."

"How is this?" exclaimed La Huriere in an ecstasy. "I am at your
service, my dear gentleman; I am at your service."

"So it is a bargain, is it?"

"With all my heart--and you, Monsieur de Coconnas," continued the
landlord, "do you agree to the bargain?"

"Yes; but, like my friend, I must add one small condition."

"What is that?"

"That you restore to Monsieur de la Mole the fifty crowns which I owe
him, and which I put into your keeping."

"To me, sir? When was that?"

"A quarter of an hour before you sold my horse and my portmanteau."

La Huriere showed that he understood.

"Ah! I remember," said he; and he stepped toward a cupboard and took out
from it, one after the other, fifty crowns, which he brought to La Mole.

"Very well, sir," said that gentleman; "very well. Serve me an omelet.
The fifty crowns are for Gregoire."

"Oh!" cried La Huriere; "in truth, my dear gentlemen, you are genuine
princes, and you may count on me for life and for death."

"If that is so," said Coconnas, "make us the omelet we want, and spare
neither butter nor lard."

Then looking at the clock,

"Faith, you are right, La Mole," said he, "we still have three hours to
wait, and we may as well be here as anywhere else. All the more because,
if I am not mistaken, we are already half way to the Pont Saint Michel."

And the two young men went and sat down at table in the very same room
and at the very same place which they had occupied during that memorable
evening of the twenty-sixth of August, 1572, when Coconnas had proposed
to La Mole to play each against the other the first mistress which they
should have!

Let us grant for the honor of the morality of our two young men that
neither of them this evening had the least idea of making such a
proposition to his companion.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE ABODE OF MAITRE RENE, PERFUMER TO THE Q