The cardinal shook his head.  “You see, monsieur, that Beaufort is a man who hesitates at nothing.  A scrupulous person would hardly endeavour to slay a cardinal, who is also the minister of France, in the streets of Paris in broad daylight.  He is capable of burning down the Pome d’Or, and all within it, in order to obtain revenge on you.  I feel very uneasy about you.  However, sleep may bring counsel, and we will talk it over again in the morning.”

“Have you thought of anything, Monsieur Campbell?” Mazarin asked when they met in the morning.

“I have not, sir, save to go on trusting to my own sword and my followers.”

“I can think of nothing,” the cardinal said, “save to send an order to Turenne for two companies of your regiment to march hither, where, on their arrival, you will receive orders to proceed with them to your castle of la Villar, and to use them in the king’s service in repressing all troubles that may occur in Poitou.  What say you to that?”

“I would not deprive her majesty of two hundred of her best soldiers to guard me from what may not be after all a very real danger.  My own conclusions, after thinking it over this morning, are that I will remain here for a time, trusting to my friends and my own sword.  If a serious attempt is made on my life I could then consider whether it would be best to withdraw myself, and if so, whither to go; but I will not run away merely on a vague hint that my life is in danger.  I have faced death in battle many times, and this danger can hardly be considered as more serious.  I imagine that in the first case some of the duke’s followers will force me into a duel, before proceeding to try assassination, and although doubtless he has some good blades among his friends, I do not think that I need to feel uneasy on that score.  I was always practising with my sword as a boy.  Since I have been in the army I have spent a good deal of my time, when in winter quarters, in such practice with my own officers, and with any maitres d’armes in the towns where I have been, and while in Italy had the opportunity of learning much, for there are fine fencers there.”

“So be it, then,” Mazarin said.  “But if matters go to extremes, remember that I consider myself responsible for you.  I believe that you saved my life, and although there are many things that men say against me, none have ever charged me with ingratitude.  If I can protect you in no other way I shall have you arrested, sent to the frontier, that is to say, to the sea frontier, and put on board ship and sent to England or Scotland, as you choose, with a chest containing a sum that will suffice to purchase any estate you may choose there.

“I am in earnest,” he went on as Hector was about to answer.  “It is for my own sake as much as yours; when my friends are attacked I am attacked, and I am doubly bound in your case.  It needs but a stroke of my pen to make you a duke and lord of half a province; and if I cannot do that here, because you would still be within reach of your enemies, I can, as far as the estates go, do it for you abroad.  Do not fail to let me know each day if anything new takes place.”