"I am the Marquis de Pontcalec."
"Silence!" said the officer, in a low voice, "and fly instantly—I am here to arrest you." Then aloud, "You cannot pass," said he, pushing back the marquis, and closing in his soldiers before him.
Pontcalec took the officer's hand, pressed it, and said:
"You are a brave fellow, but I must go in. I thank you, and may God reward you!"
The officer, surprised, opened his ranks, and Pontcalec, followed by his friends, crossed the court. On seeing him, his family uttered cries of terror.
"What is it?" asked the marquis, calmly; "and what is going on here?"
"I arrest you, Monsieur le Marquis," said an exempt of the provost of Paris.
"Pardieu! what a fine exploit!" said Montlouis; "and you seem a clever fellow—you, a provost's exempt, and absolutely those whom you are sent to arrest are obliged to come and take you by the collar."
The exempt saluted this gentleman, who joked so pleasantly at such a time, and asked his name.
"I am Monsieur de Montlouis. Look, my dear fellow, if you have not got an order against me, too—if you have, execute it."