"I did answer him," replied the other, stoutly. "He cried _Qui vive?_ and I answered _Le Diable, car le Diable vive toujours_. And as for the supper, I have lost it all. _Je l'ai perdu entre deux mâtins._ The first was a greedy Norman vagabond, who feeds at my auberge; and while I was out for a minute, he whips me up my _matelot d'anguille_ from out of the _casserole_, and my _dinde piquée_ from the spit, and when I came back five minutes after, there was nothing left but bare bones and empty bottles. Pardie! And now I have bestowed on the head of that varlet a _poulet en blanquette_ that might have comforted the stomach of a King. _Oh Dieu! Dieu! mes malheurs ne finiront jamais._ Oh! but I forgot," he continued, "there is still a _fricandeau à l'oseille_ with a cold _paté_, that will do for want of a better.--_Monseigneur, votre serviteur_," and he bowed five or six times to De Blenau; "_Monsieur le Gouverneur, votre très humble_," and bowing round and round to every one, even to the sentinel, who by this time was beginning to recover his feet, the tipsy _aubergiste_ staggered off, escaping the wrath of the Governor by the promise of the _fricandeau_, but not, however, without being threatened with punishment on the morrow. CHAPTER XII. The bureau of a Counsellor of State, or how things were managed in 1642. "Marteville, you have served me essentially," said the Count de Chavigni as soon as he had left Pauline in what was called the ladies' hall of the Hotel de Bouthilliers, addressing the tall Norman, whom the reader has already recognised beyond a doubt. "You know I never suffer any good service to go without its reward; therefore I will now pay you yours, more especially as I have fresh demands to make upon your zeal. Let us see how our accounts stand;" and approaching a small table, which served both for the purposes of a writing-desk and also to support a strong ebony cabinet clasped with silver, he drew forth a bunch of keys and opened a drawer plated with iron, which contained a quantity of gold and silver coin. Chavigni then seated himself at the table, and the Norman standing on his right hand, they began regularly to balance accounts, the items of the Norman's charge being various services of rather a curious nature. "For stopping the Archduke's courier," said Chavigni, "and taking from him his despatches--fifty crowns is enough for that." "I demand no more," said Marteville; "any common thief could have done it." "But, by the way, I hope you did not hurt him, for he came with a safe conduct." "Hurt him! no," replied the Norman: "we are the best friends in the world. When I met him on the road, I told him civilly that I must have his despatches; and that I would either cut his throat or drink a bottle with him, whichever he liked: so he chose the latter, and when we parted, he promised to give me notice the next time he came on the same errand."