“Yes, it is well to scorn it.  People have an unpleasant trick of opening doors so suddenly.”

He laughed cheerfully.

“Old Vigo caught us, certes.  Let’s see, where was I?  Oh, yes, then Monsieur put on his proud look and said, if it was a case of no one but his son and his cousin, he preferred to drop the matter.  But M. le Comte got out of him what the trouble was and went off for Grammont, red as fire.  The two together came back to Monsieur and denied up and down that either of them knew aught of his pistoles, or had told of the secret to any one.  They say it was easy to see that Monsieur did not believe Grammont, but he did not give him the lie, and the matter came near dropping there, for M. le Duc would not accuse a kinsman.  But then Lucas gave a new turn to the affair.”

“How long has Lucas been here, Marcel?  Who is he?”

“Oh, he’s a rascal of a Huguenot.  Monsieur picked him up at Mantes, just before we came to the city.  And if he spies on Monsieur’s enemies as well as he does on this household, he must be a useful man.  He has that long nose of his in everything, let me tell you.  Of course he was present when Monsieur missed the pistoles.  So then, quite on his own account, without any orders, he took two of the men and searched M. de Grammont’s room.  And in a locked chest of his which they forced open they found five hundred of the pistoles in the very box Monsieur had kept them in.”

“And then?”

Marcel made a fine gesture.

“And then, pardieu! the storm broke.  M. de Grammont raved like a madman.  He said Lucas was the thief and had put half the sum in his chest to divert suspicion.  He said it was a plot to ruin him contrived between Monsieur and his henchman, Lucas.  It is true enough, certes, that Monsieur never liked him.  He threatened Monsieur’s life and Lucas’s.  He challenged Monsieur, and Monsieur declined to cross swords with a thief.  He challenged Lucas, and Lucas took the cue from Monsieur.  I was not there—­on either side of the door.  What I tell you has leaked out bit by bit from Lucas, for Monsieur keeps his mouth shut.  The upshot of the matter was that Grammont goes at Lucas with a knife, and Monsieur has the guards pitch my gentleman into the street.  Then M. le Comte swore a big oath that he would go with Grammont.  Monsieur told him if he went in such company it would be forever.  M. le Comte swore he would never come back under his father’s roof if M. le Duc crawled to him on his knees to beg him.”

“Ah!” I cried; “and then?”

“Marry, that’s all.  M. le Comte went straight out of this gate, without horse or squire.  And we have not heard a word of either of them since.”

He paused, and when I made no comment, said, a trifle aggrieved: 

“Eh bien, you take it calmly, but you would not had you been here.  It was an altogether lively affair.  It wouldn’t surprise me a whit if some day Monsieur should be attacked as he drives out.  He’s not one to forget an injury, this M. Gervais de Grammont.”