"You are certainly impudent enough for your profession," replied the Count, "and in this instance as foolish as knavish. The endeavour and the risk were still the same, and it is for that I owe you thanks, not for the success or want of success."
"Ah, Sir," replied Riquet, "if all masters were so noble and generous, we poor valets should not get spoilt so early. But how you have been liberated, Heaven only knows."
"That's a mistake," replied the old English officer; "every body at the court of France knows. The King was in a liberating mood one week; and he himself gave an order for the Count's liberation one day, and for mine two days afterwards. I heard of it when I went to present myself before the King, and the whole court was ringing with what they called your ingratitude, Count; for by that time it was known on what errand you had set off hither."
The Count clasped his hands together, and looked down upon the ground. "I fear," he said in a low voice, "that I have been sadly misled."
"Not by me, my Lord, upon my honour!" cried Riquet, with an earnest look. "I did my best to serve you, and to deliver you; and I fully thought that by my means it had been done. The man can tell you that he had the order from me: he can produce it now--"
"I blame you not, Riquet," said his master, "I blame you not! you acted for the best; but most unhappily has this chanced, to bring discredit on a name which never yet was stained. It is now too late to think of it, however. My part is chosen, and there is no retracting."
"When on my visit to the court," said the old English officer, "in order to return thanks for my liberation, and to demand certain acts of justice, I heard you blamed, I replied, my good Sir, that we in England held that private affections must never interfere with public duties; and that doubtless you felt the part you had chosen to be a public duty. They seemed not to relish the doctrine there--nor you fully to feel its force, I think."
"My dear Sir," said the Count, "I have not time to discuss nicely all the collateral points which affect that question. All I will say is, that in following such a broad rule, there is much need to be upon our guard against one of man's greatest enemies--his own deceitful heart; and to make sure that, in choosing the seeming part of public duty, to be not as much influenced by private affections--amongst which I class vanity, pride, anger, revenge--as in adopting the opposite course."
"That is true, too; that is true, too," replied the other. "Man puts me in mind of an ape I once saw, whose greatest delight was to tickle himself; but if any one else tried to do it, he would bite to the bone. But I see you are about to march--and some of your people have got their troops already in motion. If you will allow me half an hour's conversation as we ride along, I shall be glad. I will get my horse, and mount in a minute."
"The horse that brought you here must be tired," replied the Count; "my people have several fresh ones. Riquet, see that a horse be saddled quickly for--this gentleman. A strange piece of ignorance, Sir," he continued, "but I am still unacquainted with your name."