ely. He looked like a
foreigner, and, saying that I was going to see after the other, I
turned away, but with my ears skinned, as I began to dislike the affair
exceedingly.

As I suspected, the jester began to warn his friend once more.

"Monseigneur, there has been enough folly for tonight, and your wound
is but slight. Go not into the house! Let us thank him--reward him if
you will--but let us be off!"

"Hush, Le Brusquet!" said the other in the same low tone. "There is no
fear, and if there is danger I turn not from it."

I had heard enough, and seen enough too. The other man had got off
somehow. He had fallen, it is true, but recovered himself sufficiently
to make away. One can never be sure of the riposte in an uncertain
light, and uncertain moonlight is worst of all.

"He has got off," I said as I returned; "and 'twere well to have your
wound looked after, if you mean to have it done."

With this I led the way to the door of my house, and opening it bade
them enter. The fair-haired man passed in at once, but I caught a
gleam in Le Brusquet's hand as he followed. He had drawn his dagger
once more.

My first thought had been, much as I disliked him, to ask Camus to help
me in dressing the wound; but upon consideration, and chiefly, after I
had heard Le Brusquet address his friend as "Monseigneur," I deemed it
preferable that I should see to it myself. I had some experience in
these things. A soldier should know how to stop as well as to let
blood; and by way of precaution I always keep a little store of
remedies at hand, for one never knows when they may be needed, as they
were then. With this in my mind I led the way up into my apartment.
Here, I may mention, I had established myself modestly but comfortably.
It is true that the walls were bare, except for a demi-suit of mail, a
couple of swords, and a banner I had taken at Cerisolles; but for the
rest, what with my books--I had five in all--and my lute, I flattered
myself that I had all that a man needed.

Pierrebon was asleep on a settle, and I had to call twice ere I could
wake him, for he slept like the dead. But he rose quickly enough, and
lit the candles. Then, bidding him fetch me materials for dressing a
cut, I begged my guests to be seated. It was the first chance we had
of really seeing each other. The jester Le Brusquet I did not
recognize at all, though I noticed the royal cipher on his pourpoint.
As for the other, there is onl