aptain," replied the chevalier; "I have a great mind to ask one
thing of you."

"What?" asked Roquefinette.

"To follow me into some cross-road and blow my brains out with your
pistol, that this miserable head may be punished and not recognized."

"Why so?"

"Why? Because in such matters, when one fails one is but a fool: What am
I to say to Madame de Maine now?"

"What!" cried Roquefinette, "is it about that little hop-o'-my-thumb
that you are bothering yourself? Pardieu! you are frantically
susceptible, colonel. Why the devil does not her lame husband attend to
his own affairs. I should like to have seen your prude with her two
cardinals and her three or four marquises, who are bursting with fear at
this moment in a corner of the arsenal, while we remain masters of the
field of battle. I should like to have seen if they would have climbed
walls like lizards. Stay, colonel, listen to an old fox. To be a good
conspirator, you must have, first, what you have, courage; but you must
also have what you have not, patience. Morbleu! if I had such an affair
in my hands, I would answer for it that I would bring it to a good end,
and if you like to make it over to me we will talk of that."

"But in my place," asked the colonel, "what would you say to Madame de
Maine?"

"Oh! I should say, 'My princess, the regent must have been warned by his
police, for he did not leave as we expected, and we saw none but his
roue companions.' Then the Prince de Cellamare will say to you, 'My dear
D'Harmental, we have no resources but in you.' Madame de Maine will say
that all is not lost since the brave D'Harmental remains to us. The
Count de Laval will grasp your hand trying to pay you a compliment,
which he will not finish, because since his jaw is broken his tongue is
not active, particularly for compliments. The Cardinal de Polignac will
make the sign of the cross. Alberoni will swear enough to shake the
heavens--in this manner you will have conciliated everybody, saved your
amour propre, and may return to hide in your attic, which I advise you
not to leave for three or four days if you do not wish to be hanged.
From time to time I will pay you a visit. You will continue to bestow on
me some of the liberalities of Spain, because it is of importance to me
to live agreeably, and keep up my spirits; then, at the first
opportunity we recall our brave fellows, and take our revenge."

"Yes, certainly," said D'Harmental; "that is what any