"A most contemptible way that of loosening my tongue, Monseigneur, to stretch my neck."
"He is so very audacious," thought the constable, "that he must know that I can't do without him."
"Well, fellow," he said, aloud, "I have no objection to making some slight further advance to you."
"Monseigneur is very kind," said Arnauld; "and I will not fail to remind him of his generous promise when he has settled up his outstanding debt to me."
"What debt?" asked the constable.
"Here is my account, Monseigneur," said Arnauld, producing the famous document which we have seen him at work on so often.
Anne de Montmorency cast his eyes over it.
"Yes," said he, "this paper contains, besides services which are entirely fanciful and imaginary, others which might have been very useful to me at the time when you rendered them, considering my situation at that time, but which at present serve no purpose except to make my regrets all the more poignant."
"Bah, Monseigneur! it may be that you exaggerate the extent of your disgrace," said Arnauld.
"What's that?" said the constable. "Do you know, then, pray, does everybody already know, that I am in disgrace?"