A gesture of the unknown interrogated him, without a word being pronounced.

“Monsieur,” said Cropole‚ “I come to ask how — what ought I to say:  your lordship, monsieur le comte, or monsieur le marquis?”

“Say monsieur, and speak quickly,” replied the unknown, with that haughty accent which admits of neither discussion nor reply.

“I came, then, to inquire how monsieur had passed the night, and if monsieur intended to keep this apartment?”

“Yes.”

“Monsieur, something has happened upon which we could not reckon.”

“What?”

“His majesty Louis XIV. will enter our city to-day, and will remain here one day, perhaps two.”

Great astonishment was painted on the countenance of the unknown.

“The King of France is coming to Blois?”

“He is on the road, monsieur.”

“Then there is the stronger reason for my remaining,” said the unknown.

“Very well; but will monsieur keep all the apartments?”

“I do not understand you.  Why should I require less to-day than yesterday?”

“Because, monsieur, your lordship will permit me to say, yesterday I did not think proper, when you chose your lodging, to fix any price that might have made your lordship believe that I prejudged your resources; whilst to-day — "

The unknown colored; the idea at once struck him that he was supposed to be poor, and was being insulted.

“Whilst to-day,” replied he, coldly, “you do not prejudge.”

“Monsieur, I am a well-meaning man, thank God! and simple hotelier as I am, there is in me the blood of a gentleman.  My father was a servant and officer of the late Marechal d’Ancre.  God rest his soul!”

“I do not contest that point with you; I only wish to know, and that quickly, to what your questions tend?”

“You are too reasonable, monsieur, not to comprehend that our city is small, that the court is about to invade it, that the houses will be overflowing with inhabitants, and that lodgings will consequently obtain considerable prices.”

Again the unknown colored.  “Name your terms,” said he.

“I name them with scruple, monsieur, because I seek an honest gain, and that I wish to carry on my business without being uncivil or extravagant in my demands.  Now the room you occupy is considerable, and you are alone.”

“That is my business.”

“Oh! certainly.  I do not mean to turn monsieur out.”

The blood rushed to the temples of the unknown; he darted at poor Cropole‚ the descendant of one of the officers of the Marechal d’Ancre, a glance that would have crushed him down to beneath that famous chimney-slab, if Cropole had not been nailed to the spot by the question of his own proper interests.

“Do you desire me to go?” said he.  “Explain yourself — but quickly.”

“Monsieur, monsieur, you do not understand me.  It is very critical — I know — that which I am doing.  I express myself badly, or perhaps, as monsieur is a foreigner, which I perceive by his accent — "