[CHAPTER XXXVIII]
THE RECORD
On New Year's morning de Lotbinière was crossing the great courtyard of the Louvre, when he heard the voice of Louis de Léry calling him. The Bodyguard was hurrying forward with a curl of disgust on his lip, and holding out an open letter.
The Marquis, stopping, took it with a glance of inquiry.
"More of the beast!" ejaculated Louis.
The letter was one from Madame de Léry, relating with a woman's indignation the proceedings of Germain during his first visit to Quebec.
"Mon Dieu! how disgusting," Louis exclaimed.
"More than that—it is felonious," almost shouted the Marquis, great veins swelling upon his forehead and his hand shaking with rage. "Should the monster ever land again upon the shores of France from which I drove him, my God, I will hang him! Leave me this letter."
"The fellow is gross enough to return," said Louis scornfully. "What could be plainer—his movements speak for themselves."
Here a shabby individual stepped up, handed the Marquis a note, and at the same time beckoned the two into a corner out of the crowd. The billet was a scrap on which was written only—