"Le Blanc!" echoed the Admiral, knitting his brows—he had doubtless forgotten me—"ah, of course; you have been absent from duty a long time."
"I had the misfortune to be left behind at Roche Abeille, my lord."
"Ah, I remember. You are Bellièvre's comrade, and you carried my message to De Courcy. So you have recovered?"
"Yes, my lord; but I have something important to say. I have had the good luck to capture a messenger carrying a despatch from the Duke of Montpensier to Monseigneur."
"To Monseigneur!" and, turning to my prisoner, he said, "Is he not with the troops who attacked us?"
"I do not know the customs of your gentlemen, my lord," he replied, with a low bow, "but it is not our practice to betray secrets to an enemy."
"A proper answer," said the Admiral, with more slowness of speech even than usual, "and a just reproof. But this paper should tell what I wish to learn," and he broke the seal.
"Montpensier's division alone," he muttered; "this is valuable information. Le Blanc, can we be sure of this?"
"It is certain, my lord, that Monseigneur's troops are not present, though I believe they are hurrying to join with the Duke's."
"There will be just time," he said, "just time," and, leaving his meal, he instantly summoned his principal officers.