“And you have been wondering who they are, have you not? Well, I will tell you, M. de Brancas. They are representatives of half the noble houses of Brittany, who have come to give me personal assurance of their support. To-night, monsieur, the threads are all in my hands, and in five days Philip d’Orleans will no longer be regent of France.”
The lines of care had faded from her face and left her ten years younger. Her companion had caught her enthusiasm, and her eyes were sparkling in sympathy with those of the duchess.
“I rejoice to learn that everything goes so well,” I said, and I felt my heart warming for these two women who had accomplished so much. “Has madame any commands for me? I should be most happy to take a part in the drama, even though it be a small one.”
“’Tis not a command, but a request,” she answered, quickly. “You can be of great service to me if you will, M. de Brancas. The arrest of Richelieu takes a cog out of the wheel, and in order that the machine may move with perfect certainty and smoothness I wish you to replace that cog. In a word, monsieur, what I desire is a personal representative at Bayonne, a man whom I can trust and in whose courage I have faith. You are that man, M. de Brancas,”—I bowed at the compliment,—“and I ask you to go to represent me at Bayonne.”
“I will go with the greatest pleasure, madame,” I answered; “only will the good people of Bayonne have in me the same faith which you have?”
“You will take papers with you which will inspire them with faith, monsieur,” she answered, “and I believe that after they have known you a few days even the papers will be unnecessary. They will be handed to you presently, for I wish you to set out to-night. At ten o’clock a horse will be waiting for you just without the little gate at the back of the Tuileries, which you already know, as you passed through it the other day with Mlle. de Launay. Here is a key to the gate. At ten o’clock we will give you the papers; you will go out at the back of the palace without attracting attention. You will open the gate and lock it after you. At the other side you will find your horse. You will mount the horse and set off for Bayonne. You will find changes of horses awaiting you at Orleans, Tours, Poitiers, Angoulême, Bordeaux, and Rion. Where, in detail, you are to look for these horses will be specified in the written instructions which will be given you, since you might forget if I were merely to tell you. And I beg of you do not spare the horses. Upon reaching Bayonne, you will go at once to the address which you will find in the papers. All of the papers will then be opened and read in your presence, and you will see that the instructions contained in them are carried out. Do you understand, monsieur?”
“Perfectly,” I answered.
“And you agree?”
“Yes, madame.”
“I thank you, monsieur,” and she gave me her hand very prettily. “I knew that I should not call upon you in vain. Adieu, monsieur. When we meet again I hope to be in a position to advance your fortunes.”