"I may rely upon your loyalty, baron?" "Upon my loyalty to the king?" "Yes." "I should say you may rely upon it. I would gladly be drawn and quartered for him--at times." "Your loyalty is easily understood," said Nanon, fearing that, in his enthusiasm for the Médoc and Chambertin, Cauvignac might forget the part he was playing, and clothe himself in his own individuality. "Aren't you a captain in his Majesty's service, by virtue of Monsieur le Duc's favor?" "I shall never forget it!" said Cauvignac, laying his hand, upon his heart, with tearful emotion. "We will do better, baron; we will do better hereafter," said the duke. "Thanks, monseigneur, thanks!" "And we have already begun." "Indeed!" "Yes. You are too bashful, my young friend," continued d'Épernon. "When you are in need of anything, you must come to me. Now that there is no need to beat around the bush; now that you are no longer called upon to conceal your identity; now that I know that you are Nanon's brother--" "Monseigneur," cried Cauvignac, "henceforth I will apply to you in person." "You promise?" "I give you my word." "You will do well. Meanwhile, your sister will explain to you what is to be done now; she has a letter to intrust to you in my behalf. Perhaps your fortune is in the missive which I place in your hands on her recommendation. Follow your sister's advice, young man, follow her advice; she has an active brain, a keen intellect, and a noble heart. Love your sister, baron, and you will be established in my good graces." "Monseigneur," exclaimed Cauvignac, effusively, "my sister knows how dearly I love her, and that I long for nothing so much as to see her happy, powerful, and--rich." "Your fervor gratifies me," said the duke; "pray remain with Nanon, while I go hence to have a reckoning with a certain consummate villain. By the way, baron, perhaps you may be able to give me some information concerning the scoundrel." "Gladly," said Cauvignac. "Only it will be necessary for me to know to what scoundrel you refer, monseigneur; there are many of them, and of every variety in these days." "You are right; but this one is one of the most brazen-faced it has ever been my lot to fall in with." "Indeed!" "Imagine, if you please, that the gallows-bird extorted my signature in blank, in exchange for the letter your sister wrote you yesterday, which he procured by an infamous deed of violence." "A signature in blank! upon my word! But what interest had you, pray, in possessing the letter of a sister to her brother?" "Do you forget that I knew nothing of the relationship?" "Ah! true." "And I was idiotic enough--you will forgive me, won't you, Nanon?" continued the duke, holding out his hand to the young woman--"I was idiotic enough to be jealous of you!" "Indeed! jealous of me! Oh! monseigneur, you were very, very wrong!" "I was about to ask you if you had any suspicion as to the identity of the rascal who played informer?"