With his own hands he aided to dress the wound which he had made; and they were still thus employed, when a man, dressed in peaceful attire as it was considered in that day--though his apparel consisted of a stout buff coat, a slouched hat, wide crimson breeches, a pair of enormous jack boots, a sword and dagger--rode up, mounted on a strong grey charger. Over his shoulders, suspended by a leathern strap, hung a trumpet ornamented with a banner of the arms of France; and drawing in his rein at the distance of about twenty yards from the two gentlemen, as he was passing on towards the high road, he exclaimed, "Ha, ha, Messieurs, it is a pity, I think, that I was not here some ten minutes earlier. I could have sounded the charge." "We have done very well without you, my good friend," replied the Duke; "but you seem a trumpet from Henry of Bourbon. What is your errand?" "That I shall tell to those whom I am sent to," answered the trumpeter. "Pray who may they be?" demanded Nemours. "Monsieur de la Bourdasière, and his Highness, the Duke of Nemours," answered the trumpeter. "I shall find them both in Chartres, I suppose?" "You won't find his Highness of Nemours," said the Duke, laughing; "unless you wait till I come, my friend. But go on, I will soon follow you." "If you are the Duke," replied the trumpeter, "I may as well give you my letter here, and you can con it over and make up your mind by the way, for I must get back with all speed." Thus saying, he dismounted from his horse, and led it forward by the bridle towards the Duke, drawing forth a letter, at the same time, from a pouch under his left arm. Nemours took it, cut the silk between the two seals with his dagger, and read the contents. "This is strange, enough, De Montigni," he said. "This epistle is all about you, except, indeed, a few words which your King has been pleased to add, regarding the advantages which I might obtain by returning, as he terms it, to my allegiance." "What is his Majesty pleased to say concerning me?" asked De Montigni. "I should scarcely think he knew that I was a prisoner." "Oh, good faith," exclaimed Nemours. "You are a man of much greater consequence than you imagine. Here, he offers in exchange for your humble self, our good friend, the Marquis de Megnelai, requiring, however, at the same time, the liberty of the fair lady we sent off this morning for Marzay." "I will beseech you, my lord," replied De Montigni gravely, "not to speak upon that subject, for it is a matter that I cannot easily forgive."