"Everything, Master. They are very exacting in this neighborhood," thought the messenger. "They scarcely seem to care for good golden crowns; but they have some mysterious secrets which the Devil himself could not understand."
"There are three of us in this house," continued the armorer; "my cousin Jean and my sister Babette as well as myself. You have executed your commission so far as I am concerned; but have you no other for Babette or Jean?"
Jean Peuquoy the weaver entered the shop just in time to hear Gabriel's messenger reply,—
"I have nothing to say to anybody but you, Master Pierre Peuquoy, and to you I have said all that I was commanded to say."
"Very well! You see, brother," said Pierre, turning to Jean, "Monsieur le Vicomte d'Exmès is grateful to us; he returns our money with all due promptitude. Monsieur le Vicomte d'Exmès sends this message to us, 'Remember!' but he himself does not remember!"
"Alas!" sighed a weak, piteous voice behind the curtain.
It was poor Babette, who had heard all.
"One moment," rejoined Jean, who persisted in hoping against hope. "My friend," he continued, addressing the messenger, "if you are of Monsieur d'Exmès's household, you must know one of his retainers and your fellow-servant named Martin-Guerre?"
"Martin-Guerre? Yes, to be sure, Martin-Guerre, the squire. Yes, I know him, Master."
"Is he still in Monsieur d'Exmès's service?"