'However,I will surrender to you on two conditions,'Icontinued,keenly observing the coarse faces of his following.
'First,that you let me keep my arms until we reach the gate-house,I giving you my parole to come with you quietly.That is number one.'
'Well,'the Provost-Marshal said more civilly,'I have no objection to that.'
'Secondly,that you do not allow your men to break into my lodgings.I will come out quietly,and so an end.Your order does not direct you to sack my goods.'
'Tut,tut!'he replied;'I want,you to come out.I do not want to go in.'
'Then draw your men back to the stairs,'I said.'And if you keep terms with me,I will uphold you to-morrow,For your orders will certainly bring you into trouble.M.de Retz,who procured it this morning,is away,you know.M.de Villequier may be gone to-morrow.But depend upon it,M.de Rambouillet will be here!'
The remark was well timed and to the point.It startled the man as much as I had hoped it would.Without raising any objection he ordered his men to fall back and guard the stairs;and I on my side began to undo the fastenings of the door.
The matter was not to be so easily concluded,however;for Bruhl's rascals,in obedience,no doubt,to a sign given by their leader,who stood with Fresnoy on the upper flight of stairs,refused to withdraw;and even hustled the Provost-Marshal's men when the latter would have obeyed the order.The officer,already heated by delay,replied by laying about him with his staff,and in a twinkling there seemed to be every prospect of a very pretty MELEE,the end of which it was impossible to foresee.
Reflecting,however,that if Bruhl's men routed their opponents our position might be made worse rather than better,I did not act on my first impulse,which was to see the matter out where Iwas.Instead,I seized the opportunity to let myself out,while Simon fastened the door behind me.The Provost-Marshal was engaged at the moment in a wordy dispute with Fresnoy;whose villainous countenance,scarred by the wound which I had given him at Chize,and flushed with passion,looked its worst by the light of the single torch which remained.In one respect the villain had profited by his present patronage,for he was decked out in a style of tawdry magnificence.But I have always remarked this about dress,that while a shabby exterior does not entirely obscure a gentleman,the extreme of fashion is powerless to gild a knave.
Seeing me on a sudden at the Provost's elbow,he recoiled with a change of countenance so ludicrous that that officer was himself startled,and only held his ground on my saluting him civilly and declaring myself his prisoner I added a warning that he should look to the torch which remained;seeing that if it failed we were both like to have our throats cut in the confusion.
He took the hint promptly,and calling the link-man to his side prepared to descend,bidding Fresnoy and his men,who remained clumped at the head of the stairs,make way for us without ado.
They seemed much inclined,however,to dispute our passage,and replying to his invectives with rough taunts,displayed so hostile a demeanour that the Provost,between regard for his own importance and respect for Bruhl,appeared for a moment at a loss what to do;and seemed rather relieved than annoyed when I begged leave to say a word to M.de Bruhl.
