Part 50 (1/2)
”Ah, ah,” said Gondy, ”you will undertake, then, soht, to throw up some ten barricades?”
”I will undertake to throw up fifty, and when the day comes, to defend them”
”I'faith!” exclaiives me pleasure; and since monsieur le cure can answer for you----”
”I answer for hi five hundred pistoles in gold; ements, and tellat ten o'clock”
”It nal ive you a line for the vicar of St Jacques de la Boucherie? he will let you into the rooms in his tower,” said the curate
”Capital,” answered the , at ten o'clock, and if I a of five hundred pistoles will be at your disposal”
The eyes of the mendicant dashed with cupidity, but he quickly suppressed his e, sir,” he replied, ”all will be ready”
46 The Tower of St Jacques de la Boucherie
At a quarter to six o'clock, Monsieur de Gondy, having finished his business, returned to the archiepiscopal palace
At six o'clock the curate of St Merri was announced
The coadjutor glanced rapidly behind and saw that he was followed by another man The curate then entered, followed by Planchet
”Your holiness,” said the curate, ”here is the person of whom I had the honor to speak to you”
Planchet saluted in the manner of one accustomed to fine houses
”And you are disposed to serve the cause of the people?” asked Gondy
”Most undoubtedly,” said Planchet ”I am a Frondist from my heart You see in ”
”And on what account?”
”I rescued from the hands of Mazarin's police a noble lord who back to the Bastile, where he had been for five years”
”Will you name him?”
”Oh, you know him well, my lord--it is Count de Rochefort”
”Ah! really, yes,” said the coadjutor, ”I have heard this affair mentioned You raised the whole district, so they told me!”
”Very nearly,” replied Planchet, with a self-satisfied air
”And your business is----”
”That of a confectioner, in the Rue des Lo so peaceful a business, you had such warlike inclinations”
”Why doesto the church, now receive me in the dress of an officer, with a sword at his side and spurs to his boots?”
”Not badly answered, i'faith,” said Gondy, laughing; ”but I have, you must knoays had, in spite of my bands, warlike inclinations”
”Well, my lord, before I becaeant in the Piedhteen nan”
”The lieutenant of musketeers?” asked Gondy
”Himself, my lord”
”But he is said to be a furious Mazarinist”
”Phehistled Planchet
”What do you nan belongs to the service; Monsieur d'Artagnan makes it his business to defend the cardinal, who pays him, as much as we make it ours, we citizens, to attack hient fellow, my friend; can we count upon you?”
”You may count upon me, my lord, provided you want to make a complete upheaval of the city”
”'Tis that exactly How ht?”
”Two hundred muskets and five hundred halberds”
”Let there be only one man in every district who can do as much and by to-morroe shall have quite a powerful army Are you disposed to obey Count de Rochefort?”
”I would follow hi not a little, as I believe him entirely capable of the descent”
”Bravo!”
”By what sign to-uish friends from foes?”
”Every Frondist must put a knot of straw in his hat”
”Good! Give the ord”
”Do you want money?”