‘Civil words, Monsieur de Sainte-Croix,’ answered Lachaussée. ‘We have chemical compounds that, in the event of M. Dreux d’Aubray’s body being exhumed, would bring every atom of his last beverage to its simple elements. Do you understand? There cannot be so much difficulty as you imagine in procuring my liberation.’
‘Silence!’ returned Gaudin in a low quick voice; ‘silence—or we shall be overheard.’
‘But my freedom!’ continued Lachaussée in a loud tone.
‘Wait until we get to the guard-house,’ said Sainte-Croix, as he passed on, and was once more at the side of the Chevalier du Guet.
They passed on through some of the narrow tortuous streets that lie towards the water boundary of the Quartier Latin, and at last arrived at a guard-house in the vicinity of the Hôtel Dieu. Gaudin spoke a few words to the captain of the watch aside, which the other appeared to agree with: they were evidently companions as well as acquaintances.
‘There is some mistake here,’ said Sainte-Croix. ‘I see now the prisoner you have captured is my valet. He has been lunatic enough to go and consult some predicting varlet, and met this other simple fellow. They have had a brawl between them; and whoever first called the guard would have given the other into custody.’
‘Pardieu!’ said Benoit, ‘you great seigneurs have different notions of a brawl to us artisans. I suppose, if his snaphaunce had put me beyond Master Glazer’s skill, who can cure anything, you would have thought lightly of it.’
‘Silence! common person!’ said the captain.
‘I will speak,’ said Benoit, who began to be very angry at this unexpected turn that things were taking; ‘and I am not a common person. Ask Monsieur Sainte-Croix if he found me so when we met one night at the corner of the Rue Neuve St. Paul. I believe that all the Bohemians and the great folks in Paris are so leagued together that they are afraid of one another, and the people receive all the buffets of their disagreeings. The man Lachaussée there is an inhabitant of all the Cours des Miracles in Paris. I know him, I tell you.’
‘You are at liberty, fellow; you can depart,’ said the officer.