"Let him," I answered; "a thing may be honest enough, and yet better hidden; look at our rags." "For them we have to thank Jan Meert." "And he God Almighty for his face." Though both were plainly dressed, I could soon tell they were not on a par. Only one spoke, and when the wine came, though he poured some into his glass, he drank none, but pushed the bottle impatiently on to his neighbour as if deeper things to think of gave him a contempt for such toys. As to the man nearest us, he took both the wine and the touch of arrogance as a matter of course, and swallowed each with a relish as men do both gifts and slights of the great. Thus we sat till the ten minutes were up and we had finished our meal but not our wine. Then, as the host came bustling up to rout us out I bade Martin softly leave him to me. "Now that you've eaten," said he, "perhaps the other room will be nice enough for your lordships' nobility." "This is nice enough for want of better," I answered; "but it is dull; bring us the dice." "Dice elsewhere; this room is bespoke." "Aye, by us." "But these gentlemen--" "Came last." The man in the cloak settled the dispute. "Let them stay," he cried out. "Messieurs, an end of the room for you, and an end for us. Will that content you?" "If the other room were not a doghole----" I began. But he interrupted me with an outbreak of the same supercilious arrogance, saying curtly: "Have I not said it was settled? If I am content, surely you may be," and fell again silent. "What did I say?" whispered Martin, rubbing his hands that he had at last found confirmation for his tales, "a duke or a simple gentleman, the Sieur Hellewyl, Monsieur de Commines, Monsieur de Vesc; eh, Monsieur Gaspard?" It was while we were still playing at playing with the dice that the second interruption came. With much politeness but yet more curiosity three further guests were ushered in, and again two of them were hooded like conspirators, but this time with a difference--they were women. Their age or figures no man could guess, so hidden were they, but one was tall, and bore herself with a carriage that suggested lissom activity. The third of their party was as frankly revealed as they were frankly disguised; a sinewy broad-shouldered man, with Soldier written largely on him from head to heel in characters that spoke louder than the weapons at hip and thigh. The three stood in silence together until--some trivial order having been given and obeyed--the door shut out the landlord's inquisition. Then, as if by common consent, the smaller woman with their guard--for in that capacity he attended them there could be no doubt--moved round the head of the table to where was an open fireplace set in a deep alcove midway down the wall opposite the door. The humbler of the two first comers joined them there, but stood apart, leaving his leader and the taller of the women in comparative isolation at the further end of the room.