Part 51 (1/2)
”Ah, Monsieur Mazarin, Monsieur Mazarin,” said Rochefort, leading off his curate, who had not found an opportunity of uttering a single word during the foregoing dialogue, ”you will see whether I am too old to be a man of action”
It was half-past nine o'clock and the coadjutor required half an hour to go from the archbishop's palace to the tower of St Jacques de la Boucherie He rehest s of the tower ”Good,” said he, ”our syndic is at his post”
He knocked and the door was opened The vicar himself awaited him, conducted him to the top of the tower, and when there pointed to a little door, placed the light which he had brought with hiht be able to find it on his return, and went down again Although the key was in the door the coadjutor knocked
”Conized as that of theon a kind of truckle bed He rose on the entrance of the coadjutor, and at that moment ten o'clock struck
”Well,” said Gondy, ”have you kept your ith me?”
”Not exactly,” replied the mendicant
”How is that?”
”You asked me for five hundred men, did you not? Well, I have ten thousand for you”
”You are not boasting?”
”Do you wish for a proof?”
”Yes”
There were three candles alight, each of which burnt before a , one looking upon the city, the other upon the Palais Royal, and a third upon the Rue Saint Denis
The man went silently to each of the candles and blew the?” asked the coadjutor
”I have given the signal”
”For what?”
”For the barricades When you leave this you will behold s in stu in a hole”
”Good! there is your money, the same sum as that you have received already Now reo and drink”
”For twenty years I have tasted nothing but water”
Thefroers counting and handling the gold pieces
”Ah! ah!” said the coadjutor, ”you are avaricious, hed and thren the bag
”Must I always be the sa the old leaven? Oh, misery, oh, vanity!”
”You take it, however”
”Yes, but I make hereby a vow in your presence, to employ all that remains to me in pious works”
His face was pale and drawn, like that of a ular o away; but on turning around he saw the beggar between him and the door His first idea was that this man intended to do him some harm, but on the contrary he saw him fall on his knees before hi, your holiness, before you go, I beseech you!” he cried
”Your holiness!” said Gondy; ”my friend, you take me for some one else”
”No, your holiness, I take you for what you are, that is to say, the coadjutor; I recognized you at the first glance”
Gondy s?” he said
”Yes, I have need of it”
The mendicant uttered these words in a tone of such humility, such earnest repentance, that Gondy placed his hand upon hiave him his benediction with all the unction of which he was capable
”Now,” said Gondy, ”there is a communion between us I have blessed you and you are sacred to me Come, have you committed some crime, pursued by huar shook his head ”The crime which I have committed, my lord, has no call upon hu me frequently, as you have just done”
”Come, be candid,” said the coadjutor, ”you have not all your life followed the trade which you do now?”
”No, my lord I have pursued it for six years only”
”And previously, where were you?”
”In the Bastile”
”And before you went to the Bastile?”
”I will tell you,to hear my confession”
”Good! At whatsoever hour of the day or night you ive you absolution”
”Thank you, my lord,” said the mendicant in a hoarse voice ”But I am not yet ready to receive it”
”Very well Adieu”
”Adieu, your holiness,” said thelow before the prelate
47 The Riot