JEAN SAXE IS EXPLICIT
"Say to Mademoiselle de Vesc that Monsieur d'Argenton requires to speak with her in the Hercules room." It was the Judge who spoke. Already Commines stood in Louis' place to search, sift, find, and his tone was as cold and curt as the words were brusque. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "You can say, too, that Monsieur La Mothe is with him."
"No," said La Mothe; "omit that part of it."
For a moment Commines hesitated, annoyed by a tone curter and colder than his own, but after a glance at La Mothe's set face he motioned to the servant to go. That was not the moment to precipitate a conflict.
"Stephen, why not? It is the truth."
"Great heavens! do we want the truth?" answered La Mothe.
"But we are not friendly, she and I, and she may not come; you said so yourself. Remember, we must have no scandal, no publicity."
"Yes, what you have to do will be best done in the dark."
"Stephen, be just. You know I mean that Saxe's story is not one to be blazed abroad. Besides, nothing will be done to-night."
"But to-morrow, or next day?"