“I!”
“Yes, so that his clothes were torn to pieces.”
“Good! and what about M. Schomberg?”
“You will not deny that you had him dyed indigo color? When I saw him three hours after, he was still bright blue. Do you call that a joke?” And the prince laughed in spite of himself, and Bussy joined him.
“Then,” said he, “they think it was I who played them these tricks!”
“Perhaps it was I.”
“And you have the conscience to reproach a man who had such fine ideas.”
“Well, I pardon you. But I have another complaint to make. What did you do to deliver me from my unlucky situation?”
“You see, I came to Anjou.”
“It seems to me that you would have been more useful nearer.”
“Ah! there we differ; I preferred coming to Anjou.”
“Your caprice is a bad reason.”
“But, if I came to gather your partisans?”
“Ah! that is different. What have you done?”
“I will explain that to you to-morrow; at present I must leave you.”
“Why!”
“I have to see an important person.”
“Oh, very well; but be prudent.”
“Prudent! are we not the strongest here?”
“Never mind, risk nothing. Have you done much?”
“I have only been here two days.”
“But you keep yourself concealed, I hope.”
“I should think so. Look at my dress; am I in the habit of wearing cinnamon-colored clothes?”
“And where are you lodging?”
“Ah! I hope you will appreciate my devotion; in a tumble-down old house, near the ramparts. But you, my prince, how did you get out of the Louvre? How was it that I found you on the road, with M. d’Aubigné for a companion?”
“Because I have friends.”
“You! friends!”
“Yes, friends that you do not know.”
“Well, and who are they?”
“The King of Navarre and D’Aubigné, whom you saw.”
“The King of Navarre! Ah! true, did you not conspire together?”
“I never conspired, M. de Bussy.”
“No; ask poor La Mole and Coconnas.”
“La Mole,” said the prince, gloomily, “died for another crime than the one alleged against him.”
“Well, never mind him. How the devil did you get out of the Louvre?”
“Through the window.”
“Which window?”
“That of my bedroom.”
“Then you knew of the rope-ladder?”
“What rope-ladder?”
“In the cupboard.”
“Ah! it seems you knew it,” cried the prince, turning pale.
“Oh! your highness knows I have sometimes had the happiness of entering that room.”
“In the time of my sister Margot. Then you came in by the window?”
“As you came out. All that astonishes me is, that you knew of the ladder.”
“It was not I who found it.”
“Who then?”
“I was told of it.”
“By whom?”
“By the King of Navarre.”
“Ah! the King of Navarre knew of it; I should not have thought so. However, now you are here safe and sound, we will put Anjou in flames, and Béarn and Angoumois will catch the light, so we shall have a fine blaze.”
“But did you not speak of a rendezvous?”
“It is true; the interest of the conversation was making me forget. Adieu, monseigneur.”
“Do you take your horse?”
“If it will be useful to you, monseigneur, you may keep it, I have another.”
“Well! I accept; we will settle that later.”
The duke gave Bussy his hand, and they separated.