"Nay, nay; you do him wrong, Claude," replied Cinq Mars. "He has rather too much tongue, it is true; but that is not always the sign of a bad hound. I must speak to him, however, for he does me service.--Well, Signor Villa Grande," continued he, addressing the Italian, who now approached, swinging an enormous cane in his hand, and from time to time curling up the ends of his mustaches; "you remember that you are to be ready at a moment's notice. Be sure, also, that your mind be made up; for I tell you fairly, the service which you undertake is one of danger." "Monsieur," replied the Italian with a strong foreign accent, "I will be ready, when you call upon me, in shorter time than you could draw your sword; and as for my mind being made up, if there were an army drawn out to oppose my progress, I would be bound to carry the despatch to the Duke of Bouillon, or die in the attempt. Fear not my yielding it to any body; _piutosto morir vol'io_, as the song has it," and he hummed a few bars of one of his native airs.--"_Oh Dio!_" continued he, recognising De Blenau, who had turned away on perceiving that Cinq Mars spoke to the Italian on some business of a private nature. "_Oh Dio!_ Monsieur le Comte de Blenau, is it really you returned at last? _Benedetto quel giorno felice!_ Doubtless you are aware of the glorious plans of your friend Monsieur le Grand." "Good day, Signor," answered De Blenau; "I know of no one's plans but my own, the most glorious of which, within my apprehension at present, is to get to the Palace as soon as possible. Come, Cinq Mars, are you at leisure?" and he took a step or two in advance, while the Master of the Horse gave the Italian a warning to put a bridle on his tongue, and not to let it run so loosely without any regard to necessary caution. "For Heaven's sake, take care what you are about, Cinq Mars!" said De Blenau, when he was again joined by his friend. "Of course you are the best judge of your own plans; but unless you have a mind to ruin them all, do not trust them to such a babbling idiot as that; and beware that, in attempting to catch a lion, you do not get torn yourself." "Oh, no fear," replied the Grand Ecuyer; "that fellow knows nothing more than it is absolutely necessary for him to know, and as for the rest, I have plunged into a wide sea, Claude, and must swim to land somehow." They had by this time reached the gates of the Palace, and Cinq Mars, knowing that some meetings are better in private, left his friend, and turned his steps towards the apartments of the King.