When the whole affair has been bungled--and by you."

"By me, excellency?"

"Yes; if you had given me Piero and Malsain instead of those
serving-wenches Billot and La Crotte."

Torquato lifted a deprecating hand. "They did well before, excellency;
and Billot could not have done better, for he is dead, you say. And as
for La Crotte----"

"He shall hang--hang to the first tree."

"As your excellency pleases. He has, however, to be caught first. But
in the meantime I have intruded on you because I think we can yet save
the game."

"Ugh!"

"Your excellency, I have a plan; and I think we win the odd trick."

"Well, what is your brilliant idea?"

Trotto coughed. "But the risk, excellency, is greatly increased now
that this man is mixed up in the affair."

Simon straightened himself in his chair and looked at the captain.

"I suppose you want more money. Well, what is your plan?"

"With your excellency's permission I will keep that to myself, for a
plan is a plan when one head holds it. But if I were to place your
prize in your hands by tomorrow morning?"

"Impossible!"

"But I say it is possible."

"Then five hundred crowns the day you reach Paris."

Trotto shook his head. "It could be done for a thousand,
excellency--for certain."

Simon's eyes seemed to sink back deeper into their hollow sockets, and
his face became paler, if possible.

"A thousand devils! Impossible! It's a fortune!"

"Your excellency is playing for a fortune; and this time we win--faith
of a gentleman! Make it a thousand crowns, and your bonny bird is
yours with the dawn, and I will myself perform the wedding ceremony if
you like."

"You?"

"Yes, excellency," and Trotto put his hand to the crown of his head.
"My hair has grown, but, you will remember, I am none the less a priest
for all that."

There was another silence. Simon knitted his brow, as if in thought.
Then he cursed again at his wounded arm, and spoke:

"It is an exorbitant sum; but I agree on one condition."

"And that is?"

"If you fail you get nothing; you have sucked enough from me already."

"As your excellency pleases." And then, bending for an instant over
the wounded arm: "He must have been a rare swordsman to have beaten
you."

Simon writhed in his chair. "Beaten me! I had the dog at my mercy,
but was not quick enough in the last parry."

"Ah, excellency, 'tis always that little delay that causes accidents
like this." And Trotto