. I will have none of this quarrelling in my presence
or out of it. I lost Quelus and Maugiron that way, and loss enough, and
I will have none of it, I say! M. de Bruhl,' he added, standing erect,
and looking for the moment, with all his paint and frippery, a king, 'M.
de Bruhl, repeat your story.'

The feelings with which I listened to this controversy may be imagined.
Devoured in turn by hope and fear as now one side and now the other
seemed likely to prevail, I confronted at one moment the gloom of the
dungeon, and at another tasted the air of freedom, which had never
seemed so sweet before. Strong as these feelings were, however, they
gave way to curiosity at this point; when I heard Bruhl called, and saw
him come forward at the king's command. Knowing this man to be himself
guilty, I marvelled with what face he would present himself before all
those eyes, and from what depths of impudence he could draw supplies in
such an emergency.

I need not have troubled myself, however, for he was fully equal to the
occasion. His high colour and piercing black eyes met the gaze of friend
and foe alike without flinching. Dressed well and elegantly, he wore
his raven hair curled in the mode, and looked alike gay, handsome, and
imperturbable. If there was a suspicion of coarseness about his bulkier
figure, as he stood beside M. d'Agen, who was the courtier perfect
and point devise, it went to the scale of sincerity, seeing that men
naturally associate truth with strength.

'I know no more than this, sire,' he said easily; 'that, happening to
cross the Parvis at the moment of the murder, I heard Father Antoine
scream. He uttered four words only, in the tone of a man in mortal
peril. They were'--and here the speaker looked for an instant at
me--'Ha! Marsac! A moi!'

'Indeed!' M. de Rambouillet said, after looking to the king for
permission. 'And that was all? You saw nothing?'

Bruhl shook his head. 'It was too dark,' he said.

'And heard no more?'

'No.'

'Do I understand, then,' the Marquis continued slowly, 'that M. de
Marsac is arrested because the priest--God rest his soul!--cried to him
for help?'

'For help?' M. de Retz exclaimed fiercely.

'For help?' said the king, surprised. And at that the most; ludicrous
change fell upon the faces of all. The king looked puzzled, the Duke
of Nevers smiled, the Duke of Mercoeur laughed aloud. Crillon cried
boisterously, 'Good hit!' and the majority, who wished no better than