upon obtaining a view at close quarters of the individual who addressed him, could not restrain an involuntary movement of surprise.
"Well, well, monsieur, what's the matter?" demanded he of the blue cloak.
"Nothing, monsieur; I nearly lost my balance. I believe that you did me the honor of addressing me. What were you saying, pray?"
"I asked you why you are masked."
"That is a plain question," said the young man, "and I will reply with equal frankness; I am masked in order to conceal my face."
"Then it is a face that I know?"
"I think not; but having seen it once you might know it again later; and that, in my opinion, would be utterly useless."
"I should say that you were quite as outspoken as myself."
"Yes, when outspokenness can do me no harm.
"Does your frankness go so far as to lead you to disclose the secrets of others?"
"Why not, if such disclosure can be of advantage to me?"
"It's a singular profession that you practise."
"Dame! one does what one can do, monsieur; I have been, in succession, lawyer, doctor, soldier, and partisan; you see that I am not likely to go begging for a trade."
"What are you now?"
"Your humble servant," said the young man, bowing respectfully.
"Have you the letter in question?"
"Have you the blank signature?"
"Here it is."
"Shall we make the exchange?"
"One moment, monsieur," said the stranger in the blue cloak; "your conversation is delightful to me, and I should be sorry to lose my enjoyment of it so soon."
"Good lack! monsieur, it is quite at your service, as I myself am," rejoined Cauvignac. "Let us talk, by all means, if it is agreeable to you."
"Shall I step into your boat, or do you prefer to come aboard mine, so that our boatmen may be out of ear-shot in the other boat?"
"Useless, monsieur; you speak some foreign tongue, no doubt?"
"I can speak Spanish."
"And I; let us talk in Spanish, then, if you please."
"By all means! What motive," continued the gentleman, adopting from that moment the idiom agreed upon, "led you to inform the Duc d'Épernon of the infidelity of the lady in question?"
"I was desirous to be of service to that eminent nobleman, and to get into his good graces."
"Have you any ill-will to Mademoiselle de Lartigues?"
"Ill-will? By no manner of means! On the contrary, I must admit that I am under some obligation to her, and I should be extremely sorry were any mishap to befall her."
"Then Monsieur le Baron de Canolles is your enemy?"
"I never saw him; I know him only by reputation, and I must say that he is said to be a gallant knight and worthy gentleman."
"I am to understand that your action is not induced by hatred of any person?"
"Go to! if I had a grievance against Baron de Canolles I should challenge him to exchange shots or sword-thrusts with me, and he is too much of a man ever to decline an invitation of that kind."
"In that case I must recur to the reason you have given me."
"I think you can do no better."
"Very good! I understand that you have the letter which proves Mademoiselle de Lartigues to be unfaithful."
"Here it is. No offence, but this is the second time I have shown it to you."
The older gentleman glanced sadly from afar at the dainty paper, through which he could see the written characters.
The young man slowly unfolded the letter.
"You recognize the writing, do you not?"
"Yes."
"Then give me the blank signature, and you shall have the letter."
"In a moment. Will you allow me to ask you a question?"
"Ask it, monsieur."
The young man tranquilly folded the paper again, and replaced it in his pocket.
"How did you procure the letter?"
"I am quite willing to tell you."
"I am listening."
"You know that the somewhat extravagant government of the Duc d'Épernon has aroused a strong feeling against him in Guyenne?"
"Very well; go on."
"You know that the frightfully stingy government of Monsieur de Mazarin has aroused a tremendously strong feeling against him in the capital?"
"What have Monsieur de Mazarin and Monsieur d'Épernon to do with the matter?"
"One moment; these two strongly contrasted governments have produced a state of things much resembling a general war, in which every one has a share. At this moment Monsieur de Mazarin is fighting for the queen; you are fighting for the king; the coadjutor is fighting for Monsieur de Beaufort; Monsieur de Beaufort is fighting for Madame de Montbazon; Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld is fighting for Madame de Longueville; Monsieur le Duc d'Orléans is fighting for Mademoiselle Soyon; the Parliament is fighting for the people; lastly, Monsieur de Condé, who was fighting for France, has been imprisoned. Now I, who have no great stake to gain by fighting for the queen, for the king, for the coadjutor, for Monsieur de Beaufort, for Madame de Montbazon, for Madame de Longueville, for Mademoiselle Soyon, for the people, or for France, conceived the scheme of espousing no party whatever, but of following the one which I feel inclined to follow at the moment. Thus with me it is a question of expediency pure and simple. What say you to the idea?"
"It is ingenious, certainly."
"Consequently I have levied an army. You can see it drawn up yonder on the bank of the Dordogne."
"Five men? Nonsense!"
"That's one more than you have yourself; it doesn't look well, therefore, for you to treat it with contempt."
"Very ill clad," continued the older man, who was in ill-humor, and for that reason inclined to be censorious.
"True," rejoined his interlocutor, "they somewhat resemble the companions of Falstaff. Falstaff, by the way, is an English gentleman of my acquaintance. But to-night they will be newly equipped, and if you fall in with them to-morrow, you will admit that they are pretty fellows."
"Let us return to yourself. I am not concerned with your men."
"Very well; as I was saying, in the course of my warfare on my own account, we fell in with the tax-collector of this district, who was going from village
