em pass as
they were conducting him to Pignerol. It was the Chevalier de
Saint-Martin and Monsieur de Villebois who did it; and by this token
they each had three thousand livres for themselves and their men."

"That was only middling pay," said D'Harmental, with a disdainful air.

"You think so, chevalier? Nevertheless three thousand livres is a nice
little sum."

"Then for three thousand livres you would have undertaken it?"

"I would have undertaken it," answered the captain.

"But if instead of carrying off a secretary it had been proposed to you
to carry off a duke?"

"That would have been dearer."

"But you would have undertaken it all the same?"

"Why not? I should have asked double--that is all."

"And if, in giving you double, a man like myself had said to you,
'Captain, it is not an obscure danger that I plunge you into; it is a
struggle in which I am myself engaged, like you, and in which I venture
my name, my future, and my head:' what would you have answered?"

"I would have given him my hand, as I now give it you. Now what is the
business?"

The chevalier filled his own glass and that of the captain.

"To the health of the regent," said he, "and may he arrive without
accident at the Spanish frontier, as Matthioli arrived at Pignerol."

"Ah! ah!" said the captain, raising his glass. Then, after a pause, "And
why not?" continued he, "the regent is but a man after all. Only we
shall neither be hanged nor decapitated; we shall be broken on the
wheel. To any one else I should say that a regent would be dearer, but
to you, chevalier, I have only one price. Give me six thousand livres,
and I will find a dozen determined men."

"But those twelve men, do you think that you may trust them?"

"What need for their knowing what they are doing? They shall think they
are only carrying out a wager."

"And I," answered D'Harmental, "will show you that I do not haggle with
my friends. Here are two thousand crowns in gold, take them on account
if we succeed; if we fail we will cry quits."

"Chevalier," answered the captain, taking the bag of money and poising
it on his hand with an indescribable air of satisfaction, "I will not do
you the injustice of counting after you. When is the affair to be?"

"I do not know yet, captain; but if you find the pate to your taste, and
the wine good, and if you will do me the pleasure of breakfasting with
me every day as you have done to-day, I will keep you informed of