Arnauld du Thill, in turn, waited for his share, which, we must do the Englishman the justice to say, he brought him in good faith. He found Arnauld in a corner scrawling some fresh lines on the Constable de Montmorency's endless account, and muttering to himself,-- "For having cleverly arranged to have Vicomte d'Exmès included among the prisoners of war, and having thus relieved Monseigneur le Connétable from said viscount for a time--" "What are you doing there, my friend?" said the archer, seizing him by the shoulder. "What am I doing? Making out an account," replied the false Martin-Guerre. "How does ours stand?" "Here is what I owe you," said the archer, putting the crowns in Arnauld's hands, which he proceeded to count very carefully. "You see that I have kept my promise, and don't regret parting with the money. You have put me on the track of two unexceptionable prisoners.--especially your master, who never chaffered or haggled, but did just the opposite. Old Graybeard made some trouble, to be sure; but he was not very bad for a citizen, and without your help I have no doubt I should have fared worse." "I believe you," said Arnauld, pocketing the coins. "But come now," said the archer, "our work isn't all done yet. You see that I am good pay; and you must stir yourself to point out my third prize now,--the second noble prisoner to whom we are entitled." "By the mass!" Arnauld replied, "I have nothing more to say, and you have only to choose." "I know that very well; and what I want you to do is to help me choose among all the men and women, old men and children of noble birth, whom we may lay our hands upon in this good town." "What!" asked Arnauld, "do women count too?" "Indeed they do," said the Englishman, "and better than all; and if you know one who is young and beautiful as well as noble and rich, we shall have a pretty plum to divide, for Lord Grey will dispose of her at a large advance to his brother-in-law, Lord Wentworth, who likes female prisoners much better than male, so far as one can judge." "Unfortunately I know of none," said Arnauld du Thill. "And yet! but no, no, it isn't possible." "Why so, comrade? Are we not masters and victors here! And besides, nobody but the admiral was exempted by the terms of the capitulation." "Very true," said Arnauld; "but the fair damsel whom I have in mind must not come near my master or even see him again; and to keep them in captivity in the same town would be but a poor way to keep them apart." "Bah! do you suppose that my Lord Wentworth won't know enough to keep his pretty bird out of sight, and for himself alone?" asked the archer. "Yes, at Calais," said Arnauld, meditating; "but on the way? My master will have ample opportunity to see her and speak with her."