ut it is otherwise
with me."

The unfortunate Tignonville stood transfixed, glaring at the back of the
other's head. For an instant he could not find his voice. At last--

"Curse you!" he hissed in a transport of rage. "Curse you! You did
know, then? And she was right."

"If you mean that I expected you, to be sure, Monsieur," Count Hannibal
answered. "See, your place is laid. You will not feel the air from
without there. The very becoming dress which you have adopted secures
you from cold. But--do you not find it somewhat oppressive this summer
weather?"

"Curse you!" the young man cried, trembling.

Tavannes turned and looked at him with a dark smile. "The curse may
fall," he said, "but I fancy it will not be in consequence of your
petitions, Monsieur. And now, were it not better you played the man?"

"If I were armed," the other cried passionately, "you would not insult
me!"

"Sit down, sir, sit down," Count Hannibal answered sternly. "We will
talk of that presently. In the mean time I have something to say to you.
Will you not eat?"

But Tignonville would not.

"Very well," Count Hannibal answered; and he went on with his supper. "I
am indifferent whether you eat or not. It is enough for me that you are
one of the two things I lacked an hour ago; and that I have you, M. de
Tignonville. And through you I look to obtain the other."

"What other?" Tignonville cried.

"A minister," Tavannes answered, smiling. "A minister. There are not
many left in Paris--of your faith. But you met one this morning, I
know."

"I? I met one?"

"Yes, Monsieur, you! And can lay your hand on him in five minutes, you
know."

M. de Tignonville gasped. His face turned a shade paler.

"You have a spy," he cried. "You have a spy upstairs!"

Tavannes raised his cup to his lips, and drank. When he had set it down--

"It may be," he said, and he shrugged his shoulders. "I know, it boots
not how I know. It is my business to make the most of my knowledge--and
of yours!"

M. de Tignonville laughed rudely. "Make the most of your own," he said;
"you will have none of mine."

"That remains to be seen," Count Hannibal answered. "Carry your mind
back two days, M. de Tignonville. Had I gone to Mademoiselle de Vrillac
last Saturday and said to her 'Marry me, or promise to marry me,' what
answer would she have given?"

"She would have called you an insolent!" the young man replied hotly.
"And I--"

"N