"By St. Quentin, we'll get you your lady! I hated the marriage while I
thought it would make you a Leaguer. I could not see you sacrifice your
honour to a girl's bright eyes. But your life--that is different."
"My life is a little thing."
"No," Monsieur said; "it is a good deal--one's life. But one is not to
guard one's life at the cost of all that makes life sweet."
"Ah, you know how I love her!"
"They call me a fool," Monsieur went on musingly, "because I risk my
life in wild errands. But, mordieu! I am the wise man. For they who
think ever of safety, and crouch and scheme and shuffle to procure it,
why, look you, they destroy their own ends. For, when all is done, they
have never really lived. And that is why they hate death so, these
worthies. While I, who have never cringed to fear, I live like a king.
I go my ways without any man's leave; and if death comes to me a little
sooner for that, I am a poor creature if I do not meet him smiling. If I
may live as I please, I am content to die when I must."
"Aye," said M. Étienne, "and if we live as we do not please, still we
must die presently. Therefore do I purpose never to give over striving
after my lady."
"Oh, we'll win her by noon. But first we'll sleep. There's Félix yawning
his head off. Come, come."
We set off along the alley, the St. Quentins arm in arm, I at their
heels. Monsieur looked over his shoulder with a sudden anxiety.
"Félix, you said Huguet had run for aid?"
"Yes, Monsieur; Vigo should have been here before now," I answered,
remembering Vigo's promptitude yesterday.
"Every one was asleep; he has been hammering this half-hour to get in,"
M. Étienne said easily.
But Monsieur asked of me:
"Was he much hurt, Félix?"
"No; I am sure not, Monsieur. He was run through the arm; I am sure he
was not hurt otherwise."
We came to where the two slain men lay across the way. M. Étienne
exclaimed:
"If you do not hold your life dear, you sell it dear, Monsieur! How many
of the rascals were there?"
"It was hard to tell in the dark. Five, I think."
"Now, Monsieur, how came you to be in this place in the dark?"
"Why, what to do, Étienne? I came in at the gate just after midnight. I
could not leave St. Denis earlier, and night is my time to enter Paris.
The inns were shut--"
"But some friend near the gate? Tarigny would have sheltered you."
"Aye, and got into trouble for it, had it leaked out to the Sixteen."
"Tarigny is no craven."
"But neither am I," said Monsieur, smiling.
"Oh, I give you up! Go your ways. But I will not come to save you next
time."
"No, lad; you will be at my side hereafter."