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A　look　and　a　touch　of　the　commander's　knee　cut　this　panegyric　short；　to　which　the　treasurer　was　listening　with　open…eyed　astonishment。

〃What　enthusiasm！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Well；　and　then〃

〃Why；　then；〃　went　on　the　young　man；　with　a　laugh；　〃if　my　uncle　behaves　badly；　I；　his　nephew；　will　try　to　make　up　for　his　wrong…doing：　he　can't　blame　me　then。　　But　until　then　he　may　be　quite　easy；　as　he　well　knows。〃

〃Oh　yes；　and　in　proof　of　that　I　am　going　to　take　Moranges　with　me　to…night。　　He　is　young　and　inexperienced；　and　it　will　be　a　good　lesson　for　him　to　see　how　a　gallant　whose　amorous　intrigues　did　not　begin　yesterday　sets　about　getting　even　with　a　coquette。　　He　can　turn　it　to　account　later　on。

〃On　my　word；〃　said　Jeannin；　〃my　notion　is　that　he　is　in　no　great　need　of　a　teacher；　however；　that's　your　business；　not　mine。　　Let　us　return　to　what　we　were　talking　about　just　now。　　Are　we　agreed；　and　shall　we　amuse　ourselves　by　paying　out　the　lady　in；　her　own　coin？〃

〃If　you　like。〃

〃Which　of　us　is　to　begin？〃

De　Jars　struck　the　table　with　the　handle　of　his　dagger。

〃More　wine；　gentlemen？〃　said　the　drawer；　running　up。

〃No；　dice；　and　be　quick　about　it。〃

〃Three　casts　each　and　the　highest　wins；〃　said　Jeannin。　　〃You　begin。〃

〃I　throw　for　myself　and　nephew。〃　　The　dice　rolled　on　the　table。

〃Ace　and　three。〃

〃It's　my　turn　now。　　Six　and　five。〃

〃Pass　it　over。　　Five　and　two。〃

〃We're　equal。　　Four　and　two。〃

〃Now　let　me。　　Ace　and　blank。〃

〃Double　six。〃

〃You　have　won。〃

〃And　I'm　off　at　once；　said　Jeannin；　rising；　and　muffling　himself　in　his　mantle；　〃　It's　now　half…past　seven。　　We　shall　see　each　other　again　at　eight；　so　I　won't　say　good…bye。〃

〃Good　luck　to　you！〃

Leaving　the　tavern　and　turning　into　the　rue　Pavee；　he　took　the　direction　of　the　river。




CHAPTER　II

In　1658；　at　the　corner　of　the　streets　Git…le…Coeur　and　Le　Hurepoix　（the　site　of　the　latter　being　now　occupied　by　the　Quai　des　Augustins　as　far　as　Pont　Saint…Michel）；　stood　the　great　mansion　which　Francis　I　had　bought　and　fitted　up　for　the　Duchesse　d'Etampes。　　It　was　at　this　period　if　not　in　ruins　at　least　beginning　to　show　the　ravages　of　time。　　Its　rich　interior　decorations　had　lost　their　splendour　and　become　antiquated。　　Fashion　had　taken　up　its　abode　in　the　Marais；　near　the　Place　Royale；　and　it　was　thither　that　profligate　women　and　celebrated　beauties　now　enticed　the　humming　swarm　of　old　rakes　and　young　libertines。　　Not　one　of　them　all　would　have　thought　of　residing　in　the　mansion；　or　even　in　the　quarter；　wherein　the　king's　mistress　had　once　dwelt。　　It　would　have　been　a　step　downward　in　the　social　scale；　and　equivalent　to　a　confession　that　their　charms　were　falling　in　the　public　estimation。　　Still；　the　old　palace　was　not　empty；　it　had；　on　the　contrary；　several　tenants。　　Like　the　provinces　of　Alexander's　empire；　its　vast　suites　of　rooms　had　been　subdivided；　and　so　neglected　was　it　by　the　gay　world　that　people　of　the　commonest　description　strutted　about　with　impunity　where　once　the　proudest　nobles　had　been　glad　to　gain　admittance。　　There　in　semi…isolation　and　despoiled　of　her　greatness　lived　Angelique…Louise　de　Guerchi；　formerly　companion　to　Mademoiselle　de　Pons　and　then　maid　of　honour　to　Anne　of　Austria。　　Her　love　intrigues　and　the　scandals　they　gave　rise　to　had　led　to　her　dismissal　from　court。　　Not　that　she　was　a　greater　sinner　than　many　who　remained　behind；　only　she　was　unlucky　enough　or　stupid　enough　to　be　found　out。　　Her　admirers　were　so　indiscreet　that　they　had　not　left　her　a　shred　of　reputation；　and　in　a　court　where　a　cardinal　is　the　lover　of　a　queen；　a　hypocritical　appearance　of　decorum　is　indispensable　to　success。　　So　Angelique　had　to　suffer　for　the　faults　she　was　not　clever　enough　to　hide。　　Unfortunately　for　her；　her　income　went　up　and　down　with　the　number　and　wealth　of　her　admirers；　so　when　she　left　the　court　all　her　possessions　consisted　of　a　few　articles　she　had　gathered　together　out　of　the　wreck　of　her　former　luxury；　and　these　she　was　now　selling　one　by　one　to　procure　the　necessaries　of　life；　while　she　looked　back　from　afar　with　an　envious　eye　at　the　brilliant　world　from　which　she　had　been　exiled；　and　longed　for　better　days。　　All　hope　was　not　at　an　end　for　her。　　By　a　strange　law　which　does　not　speak　well　for　human　nature；　vice　finds　success　easier　to　attain　than　virtue。　　There　is　no　courtesan；　no　matter　how　low　she　has　fallen；　who　cannot　find　a　dupe　ready　to　defend　against　the　world　an　honour　of　which　no　vestige　remains。　　A　man　who　doubts　the　virtue　of　the　most　virtuous　woman；　who　shows　himself　inexorably　severe　when　he　discovers　the　lightest　inclination　to　falter　in　one　whose　conduct　has　hitherto　been　above　reproach；　will　stoop　and　pick　up　out　of　the　gutter　a　blighted　and　tarnished　reputation　and　protect　and　defend　it　against　all　slights；　and　devote　his　life　to　the　attempt　to　restore　lustre　to　the　unclean　thing　dulled　by　the　touch　of　many　fingers。　　In　her　days　of　prosperity　Commander　de　Jars　and　the　king's　treasurer　had　both　fluttered　round　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi；　and　neither　had　fluttered　in　vain。　　Short　as　was　the　period　necessary　to　overcome　her　scruples；　in　as　short　a　period　it　dawned　on　the　two　candidates　for　her　favour　that　each　had　a　successful　rival　in　the　other；　and　that　however　potent　as　a　reason　for　surrender　the　doubloons　of　the　treasurer　had　been；　the　personal　appearance　of　the　commander　had　proved　equally　cogent。　　As　both　had　felt　for　her　only　a　passing　fancy　and　not　a　serious　passion；　their　explanations　with　each　other　led　to　no　quarrel　between　them；　silently　and　simultaneously　they　withdrew　from　her　circle；　without　even　letting　her　know　they　had　found　her　out；　but　quite　determined　to　revenge；　themselves　on　her　should　a　chance　ever　offer。　　However；　other　affairs　of　a　similar　nature　had　intervened　to　prevent　their　carrying　out　this　laudable　intention；　Jeannin　had　laid　siege　to　a　more　inaccessible　beauty；　who　had　refused　to　listen　to　his　sighs　for　less　than　30　crowns；　paid　in　advance；　and　de　Jars　had　become　quite　absorbed　by　his　adventure　with　the　convent　boarder　at　La　Raquette；　and　the　business　of　that　young　stranger　whom　he　passed　off　as　his　nephew。　　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　had　never　seen　them　again；　and　with　her　it　was　out　of　sight　out　of　mind。　　At　the　moment　when　she　comes　into　our　story　she　was　weaving　her　toils　round　a　certain　Duc　de　Vitry；　whom　she　had　seen　at　court；　but　whose　acquaintance　she　had　never　made；　and　who　had　been　absent　when　the　scandalous　occurrence　which　led　to　her　disgrace　came　to　light。　　He　was　a　man　of　from　twenty…five　to　twenty…six　years　of　age；　who　idled　his　life　away：　his　courage　was　undoubted；　and　being　as　credulous　as　an　old　libertine；　he　was　ready　to　draw　his　sword　at　any　moment　to　defend　the　lady　whose　cause　he　had　espoused；　should　any　insolent　slanderer　dare　to　hint　there　was　a　smirch　on　her　virtue。　　Being　deaf　to　all　reports；　he　seemed　one　of　those　men　expressly　framed　by　heaven　to　be　the　consolation　of　fallen　women；　such　a　man　as　in　our　times　a　retired　opera…dancer　or　a　superannuated　professional　beauty　would　welcome　with　open　arms。　　He　had　only　one　faulthe　was　married。　　It　is　true　he　neglected　his　wife；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　time；　and　it　is　probably　also　true　that　his　wife　cared　very　little　about　his　infidelities。　　But　still　she　was　an　insurmountable　obstacle　to　the　fulfilment　of　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi's　hopes；　who　but　for　her　might　have　looked　forward　to　one　day　becoming　a　duchess。

For　about　three　weeks；　however；　at　the　time　we　are　speaking　of；　the　duke　had　neither　crossed　her　threshold　nor　written。　　He　had　told　her　he　was　going　for　a　few　days　to　Normandy；　where　he　had　large　estates；　but　had　remained　absent　so　long　after　the　date　he　had　fixed　for　his　return　that　she　began　to　feel　uneasy。　　What　could　be　keeping　him？　Some　new　flame；　perhaps。　　The　anxiety　of　the　lady　was　all　the　more　keen；　that　until　now　nothing　had　passed　between　them　but　looks　of　languor　and　words　of　love。　　The　duke　had　laid　himself　and　all　he　possessed　at　the　feet　of　Angelique；　and　Angelique　had　refused　his　offer。　　A　too　prompt　surrender　would　have　justified　the　reports　so　wickedly　spread　against　her；　and；　made　wise　by　experience；　she　was　resolved　not　to　compromise　her　future　as　she　had　compromised　her　past。　　But　while　playing　at　virtue　she　had　also　to　play　at　disinterestedness；　and　her　pecuniary　resources　were　consequently　almost　exhausted。　　She　had　proportioned　the　length　of　her　resistance　to　the　length　of　her　purse；　and　now　the　prolonged　absence　of　her　lover　threatened　to　disturb　the　equilibrium　which　she　had　established　between　her　virtue　and　her　money。　　So　it　happened　that　the　cause　of　the　lovelorn　Duc　de　Vitry　was　in　great　peril　just　at　the　moment　when　de　Jars　and　Jeannin　resolved　to　approach　the　fair　one　anew。　　She　was　sitting　lost　in　thought；　pondering　in　all　good　faith　on　the　small　profit　it　was　to　a　woman　to　be　virtuous；　when　she　heard　voices　in　the　antechamber。　　Then　her　door　opened；　and　the　king's　treasurer　walked　in。

As　this　interview　and　those　which　follow　took　place　in　the　presence　of　witnesses；　we　are　obliged　to　ask　the　reader　to　accompany　us　for　a　time　to　another　part　of　the　same　house。

We　have　said　there　were　several　tenants：　now　the　person　who　occupied　the　rooms　next　to　those　in　which　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　lived　was　a　shopkeeper's　widow　called　Rapally；　who　was　owner　of　one　of　the　thirty…two　houses　which　then　occupied　the　bridge　Saint…Michel。　　They　had　all　been　constructed　at　the　owner's　cost；　in　return　for　a　lease　for　ever。　　The　widow　Rapally's　avowed　age　was　forty；　but　those　who　knew　her　longest　added　another　ten　years　to　that：　so；　to　avoid　error；　let　us　say　she　was　forty…five。　　She　was　a　solid　little　body；　rather　stouter　than　was　necessary　for　beauty；　her　hair　was　black；　her　complexion　brown；　her　eyes　prominent　and　always　moving；　lively；　active；　and　if　one　once　yielded　to　her　whims；　exacting　beyond　measure；　but　until　then　buxom　and　soft；　and　inclined　to　pet　and　spoil　whoever；　for　the　moment；　had　arrested　her　volatile　fancy。　　Just　as　we　make　her　acquaintance　this　happy　individual　was　a　certain　Maitre　Quennebert；　a　notary　of　Saint　Denis；　and　the　comedy　played　between　him　and　the　widow　was　an　exact　counterpart　of　the　one　going　on　in　the　rooms　of　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi；　except　that　the