CHAPTER XXIII.
THE PENITENT.
Panurge advanced. He looked intelligent, but like a fox.
"Do you know the Louvre?" said Chicot.
"Yes, monsieur."
"And in the Louvre a certain Henri de Valois?"
"The king?"
"People generally call him so."
"Is it to him that I am to go?"
"Just so. You will ask to speak to him."
"Will they let me?"
"Yes, till you come to his valet-de-chambre. Your frock is a passport,for the king is very religious."
"And what shall I say to the valet-de-chambre?"
"Say you are sent by the shade."
"What shade?"
"Curiosity is a vice, my brother."
"Pardon!"
"Say then that you want the letter."
"What letter?"
"Again!"
"Ah! true."
"You will add that the shade will wait for it, going slowly along theroad to Charenton."
"It is on that road, then, that I am to join you?"
"Exactly."
As Panurge went out, Chicot thought he saw some one listening at thedoor, but could not be sure. He fancied it was Borromee.
"Where do you go?" asked Gorenflot.
"Toward Spain."
"How do you travel?"
"Oh! anyhow; on foot, on horseback, in a carriage--just as it happens."
"Jacques will be good company for you."
"Thanks, my good friend, I have now, I think, only to make my adieux."
"Adieu; I will give you my benediction."
"Bah! it is useless between us."
"You are right; but it does for strangers," and they embraced.
"Jacques!" called the prior, "Jacques!"
Borromee appeared.
"Brother Jacques," repeated the prior.
"Jacques is gone."
"What! gone," cried Chicot.
"Did you not wish some one to go to the Louvre?"
"Yes; but it was Panurge."
"Oh! stupid that I am," cried Borromee, "I understood it to be Jacques."
Chicot frowned, but Borromee appeared so sorry that it was impossible tosay much.
"I will wait, then," said he, "till Jacques returns."
Borromee bowed, frowning in his turn. "Apropos," said he, "I forgot toannounce to your reverence that the unknown lady has arrived and desiresto speak to you."
"Is she alone?" asked Gorenflot.
"No; she has a squire with her."
"Is she young?"
Borromee lowered his eyes. "She seems so," said he.
"I will leave you," said Chicot, "and wait in a neighboring room."
"It is far from here to the Louvre, monsieur, and Jacques may be long,or they may hesitate to confide an important letter to a child."
"You make these reflections rather late," replied Chicot, "however, Iwill go on the road to Charenton and you can send him after me." And heturned to the staircase.
"Not that way, if you please," said Borromee, "the lady is coming up,and she does not wish to meet any one."
"You are right," said Chicot, smiling, "I will take the littlestaircase."
"Do you know the way?"
"Perfectly." And Chicot went out through a cabinet which led to anotherroom, from which led the secret staircase. The room was full of armor,swords, muskets, and pistols.
"They hide Jacques from me," thought Chicot, "and they hide the lady,therefore of course I ought to do exactly the opposite of what they wantme to do. I will wait for the return of Jacques, and I will watch themysterious lady. Oh! here is a fine shirt of mail thrown into a corner;it is much too small for the prior, and would fit me admirably. I willborrow it from Gorenflot, and give it to him again when I return." Andhe quietly put it on under his doublet. He had just finished whenBorromee entered.
Chicot pretended to be admiring the arms.
"Is monsieur seeking some arms to suit him?" asked Borromee.
"I! mon Dieu! what do I want with arms?"
"You use them so well."
"Theory, all theory; I may use my arms well, but the heart of a soldieris always wanting in a poor bourgeois like me. But time passes, andJacques cannot be long; I will go and wait for him at the Croix Faubin."
"I think that will be best."
"Then you will tell him as soon as he comes?"
"Yes."
"And send him after me?"
"I will not fail."
"Thanks, Brother Borromee; I am enchanted to have made youracquaintance."
He went out by the little staircase, and Borromee locked the door behindhim.
"I must see the lady," thought Chicot.
He went out of the priory and went on the road he had named; then, whenout of sight, he turned back, crept along a ditch and gained, unseen, athick hedge which extended before the priory. Here he waited to seeJacques return or the lady go out.