But Lagardere had more to ask. "He also wants four invitations for the
ball your majesty gives at the Palais Royal to-morrow night."
Perhaps Lagardere showed himself something of a courtier in this speech.
The great Richelieu had bequeathed to the little Louis his splendid
dwelling-house, and Louis was indeed giving a stately entertainment
there, avowedly in order to do honor to the memory of him who had made
so munificent a gift, but in reality to prove to himself that he was
master where he had been slave, and that he could, if he pleased, amuse
himself to his heart's content in the house that had been the dwelling of
his tyrant. What Louis, always dissimulative, feigned to be an act of
gracious homage to dead generosity was in truth an act of defiant and
safe self-assertion. Perhaps Lagardere guessed as much. Certainly he
played agreeably upon the king's susceptibilities when he gave to
Richelieu's bequest the name of Palais Royal, which was still quite
unfamiliar, instead of the name of Palais Cardinal, which it had worn so
long and by which name almost every one still called it. Certainly the
king's pale cheeks reddened with satisfaction at the phrase; it assured
him soothingly of what he was pleased to consider his triumph. But he
allowed a slight expression of surprise to mingle with his air of
complacency, and Lagardere hastened to give the reason for what was on
the face of it a sufficiently strange request.
"There, before the flower of the nobility of France, Lagardere will
denounce Nevers's assassin and produce Nevers's child."
The king agreed again. "He shall have his wish. Where shall the
invitations be sent?"
Lagardere bowed low in acknowledgment of the promise. "Sire," he said,
"an emissary from Lagardere will wait upon your secretary to-morrow
morning He will say that he has come for four invitations promised by
your majesty for to-morrow night, and he will back his demand with the
password 'Nevers.'"
The king bowed his head. "It shall be done as you wish," he answered. "Is
there anything more?" he asked, and Lagardere replied: "This much more:
that your majesty speak nothing of this to any one till midnight
to-morrow."