sword-edge.     

  

       CHAPTER V. MAZARIN, THE MATCH-MAKER     

       Twixt Paris and Choisy there lies but a distance of some two leagues, which, given a fair horse, one may cover with ease in little more than half an hour. So that as the twilight was deepening into night we drew rein before the hostelry of the Connétable, in the only square the little township boasts, and from the landlord I had that obsequious reception which is ever accorded to him who travels with a body-servant.     

       I found Andrea installed in a fair-sized and comfortable apartment, to the original decoration of which he added not a little by bestowing his boots in the centre of the floor, his hat, sword, and baldrick on the table, his cloak on one chair, and his doublet on another. He himself sat toasting his feet before the blazing logs, which cast a warm, reddish glow upon his sable hair and dainty shirt of cambric.     

       He sprang up as I entered, and came towards me with a look of pleasure on his handsome, high-bred face, that did me good to see.     

       “So, you have come, De Luynes,” he cried, putting forth his hand. “I did not dare to hope that you would.”      

       “No,” I answered. “Truly it was not to be expected that I could be easily lured from Paris just as my fortunes are nearing a high tide, and his Eminence proposing to make me a Marshal of France and create me Duke. As you say, you had scant grounds for hoping that my love for you would suffice to make me renounce all these fine things for the mere sake of accompanying you on your jaunt to Blois.”      

       He laughed, then fell to thanking me for having rid him of Canaples. I cut him short at last, and in answer to his questions told him what had passed       'twixt his Eminence and me that afternoon. Then as the waiter entered to spread our supper, the conversation assumed a less delicate character, until we were again alone with the table and its steaming viands between us.     

       “You have not told me yet, Andrea, what takes you to Blois,” quoth I then.     

       “You shall learn. Little do you dream how closely interwoven are our morning adventures with this journey of mine. To begin with, I 

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