l other things to be
guided by circumstances.

About noon he came, attended, as was his practice, by two friends,
whom he left outside. He looked paler and more shadowy than before, I
thought, his hands thinner, and his cheeks more transparent. I could
draw no good augury, however, from these, signs of frailty, for the
brightness of his eyes and the unusual elation of his manner told
plainly of a spirit assured of the mastery. He entered the room with an
air of confidence, and addressed me in a tone of patronage which left me
in no doubt of his intentions; the frankness with which he now laid bare
his plans going far to prove that already he considered me no better
than his tool.

I did not at once undeceive him, but allowed him to proceed, and even
to bring out the five hundred crowns which he had promised me, and the
sight of which he doubtless supposed would clench the matter.

Seeing this he became still less reticent, and spoke so largely that I
presently felt myself impelled to ask him if he would answer a question.

'That is as may be, M. de Marsac,' he answered lightly. 'You may ask
it.'

'You hint at great schemes which you have in hand, father,' I said.
'You speak of France and Spain and Navarre, and kings and Leagues and
cardinals! You talk of secret strings, and would have me believe that if
I comply with your wishes I shall find you as powerful a patron as M. de
Rosny. But--one moment, if you please,' I continued hastily, seeing that
he was about to interrupt me with such eager assurances as I had already
heard; 'tell me this. With so many irons in the fire, why did you
interfere with one old gentlewoman--for the sake of a few crowns?'

'I will tell you even that,' he answered, his face flushing at my tone.
'Have you ever heard of an elephant? Yes. Well, it has a trunk, you
know, with which it can either drag an oak from the earth or lift
a groat from the ground. It is so with me. But again you ask,' he
continued with an airy grimace, 'why I wanted a few crowns. Enough that
I did. There are going to be two things in the world, and two only, M.
de Marsac: brains and money. The former I have, and had: the latter I
needed--and took.'

'Money and brains?' I said, looking at him thoughtfully.

'Yes,' he answered, his eyes sparkling, his thin nostrils beginning to
dilate. 'Give me these two, and I will rule France!'

'You will rule France?' I exclaimed, amazed beyond measure by his
audacity. 'You, man?