"You know that the Duc de Maine and the Comte de Toulouse have left the council?" asked Valef.
"I was on the quay when he passed in his carriage, and he recognized me, and stopped the carriage, and sent me this little pencil note by his valet-de-chambre."
"Let us see," said Brigaud, and he read:
"I do not know what is plotting against us, but the regent invited us—Toulouse and me—to leave the council. That invitation appeared to me an order, and, as all resistance would have been useless, seeing that we have in the council only four or five voices, upon which we cannot count, I was obliged to obey. Try and see the duchesse, who must be at the Tuileries, and tell her that I am retiring to Rambouillet, where I shall wait for the turn of events.
"Your affectionate,
"Louis Auguste."
"The coward," said Valef.
"And these are the men for whom we risk our heads," murmured Pompadour.
"You are mistaken, my dear marquis," said Brigaud, "we risk our heads on our own account I hope, and not for others. Is not that true, chevalier? Well, what the devil are you about now?"
"Wait, abbe," answered D'Harmental; "I seem to recognize—yes, by Heaven, it is he! You will not go away from this place, gentlemen!"