“You speak of her with an animation which—— ”
“Why, I am madly in love with her and would marry her to-morrow if I could get rid of my seventy-four years. But is she well off? has she the luxury round her which so fair a blossom deserves? Nay, my dear baron, this evening she went to her lodgings, without a maid, or footman, and one of the Dauphin’s henchmen carried a lantern before her—it looked like some girls of middleclass life.”
“How can one help it when not rich?”
“Rich or not, Taverney, you must have a waiting-maid for her.”
“I know she ought to have one,” sighed the old noble.
“Why, what is this sprightly Abigail who opened the door to me,” said Richelieu, “cunning and pretty, on my word!”
“She is her maid but I dared not send her to the palace.”
“I wonder why, when she seems cut out for the part?”
“Have you looked on her face and not noticed the resemblance to—come here, Nicole!”
Nicole came quickly for she was listening at the door. The duke took her by both hands and held her between his knees; but she was not daunted by the great lord’s impertinent gaze and was not put out for an instant.