Though the hour was late, many people still loitered in the streets, the clear summer night, and all of them were talking politics.  As Jean and I passed at a rapid pace the groups under the wine-shop lanterns, we caught always the names of Mayenne and Navarre.  Everywhere they asked the same two questions:  Was it true that Henry was coming into the Church?  And if so, what would Mayenne do next?  I perceived that old Maitre Jacques of the Amour de Dieu knew what he was talking about:  the people of Paris were sick to death of the Leagues and their intriguery, galled to desperation under the yoke of the Sixteen.

Mayenne’s fine new hotel in the Rue St. Antoine was lighted as for a fete.  From its open windows came sounds of gay laughter and rattling dice.  You might have thought them keeping carnival in the midst of a happy and loyal city.  If the Lieutenant-General found anything to vex him in the present situation, he did not let the commonalty know it.

The Duke of Mayenne’s house, like my duke’s, was guarded by men-at-arms; but his grilles were thrown back while his soldiers lounged on the stone benches in the archway.  Some of them were talking to a little knot of street idlers who had gathered about the entrance, while others, with the aid of a torch and a greasy pack of cards, were playing lansquenet.

I knew no way to do but to ask openly for Mlle. de Montluc, declaring that I came on behalf of the Comte de Mar.

“That is right; you are to enter,” the captain of the guard replied at once.  “But you are not the Comte de Mar yourself?  Nay, no need to ask,” he added with a laugh.  “A pretty count you would make.”

“I am his servant,” I said.  “I am charged with a message for mademoiselle.”

“Well, my orders were to admit the count, but I suppose you may go in.  If mademoiselle cannot land her lover it were cruel to deny her the consolation of a message.”

A laugh went up and one of the gamblers looked round to say: 

“It has gone hard with mademoiselle lately, sangdieu!  Here’s the Comte de Mar has not set foot in the house for a month or more, and M. Paul for a quarter of a year is vanished off the face of the earth.  It seemed as if she must take the little cheese or nothing.  But now things are looking up with her.  M. Paul has walked calmly in, and here is a messenger at least from the other.”

“But M. Paul has walked calmly out again,” a third soldier took up the tale.  “He did not stay very long, for all mademoiselle’s graces.”

“Then I warrant ’twas mademoiselle sent him off with a flea in his ear,” another cried.  “She looks higher than a bastard, even Le Balafre’s own.”

“She had better take care how she flouts Paul de Lorraine,” came the retort, but the captain bade me march along.  I followed him into the house, leaving Jean to be edified, no doubt, by a whole history, false and true, concerning Mlle. de Montluc.  We bow down before the lofty of the earth, we underlings, but behind their backs there is none with whose names we make so free.  And there we have the advantage of our masters; for they know little of our private matters while we know everything of theirs.