starving pack is already stirring in its noisome kennels, and within a year or two will, I doubt not, have torn many of us limb from limb. As for those who come after, none will know what the sweetness of life can be who have not lived in Paris before the Revolution.'
De Perigord stood up and drew his shot-silk gown about him. 'It profits one little to swim against the tide, so a wise man swims with it. Now, if you will forgive me, I must make myself presentable to receive those foolish friends of mine, who cannot let well alone; and, instead of rejoicing in all the good things that God has sent them, must ever be striving to bring about some new order of society, which will inevitably put a halter about their own necks.'
'He who is forewarned is forearmed,' suggested Roger. 'I have a feeling that, whatever may befall you, you will find some way to survive it.'
Napoleon's future Arch-Chancellor laid a hand upon his shoulder. 'May your kind prophecy be true; and, with more immediate cause, I hope the same for you.' Upon which, they parted.
That night Roger started putting his affairs in order. He wrote three letters and made a will. The first letter was a very brief one to his father asking forgiveness for the disappointment he had caused him; the second a somewhat longer one to his mother telling her something of his love affair and the circumstances which made it imperative that he should risk his life; the third, a very long one to Georgina, saying that he felt sure that his previous letter to her must have gone astray, and giving a vivid picture, without reservations, of his four years in France. In his will he left his money to his mother, his sword to M. de la Tour d'Auvergne, his books to the Abbe de Perigord, and his clothes to Chenou.
The following evening he went round to see de la Tour d'Auvergne, explained what he planned to do and gave him the four documents, all contained in one large covering envelope, asking that he would deal with them should de Caylus emerge the victor by delivering a mortal thrust.
The Vicomte listened gravely till Roger had finished, then he said: 'I honour you .greatly for the risk you are about to take. De Caylus is a terrible antagonist and, even if fortune favours you, should you be caught you will certainly be tried for murder.'
'I hope to escape that,' Roger replied, and went on to explain. 'If all goes well only Athenais, de Perigord and yourself will ever know who killed the Count. I shall return at once to the Hotel de Rochambeau and resume my normal activities there next day. There is no reason whatever why anyone should suspect me of the killing. In fact, 'tis of paramount importance that they should not, myself apart, on account of Athenais.'
'I see your thought,' the Vicomte nodded. 'If it becomes known that 'twas you who fought on Athenais's behalf, 'twill be said that you have been having an affair with her. As an unmarried girl she will be, completely ruined and her father is certain to force her to take the veil as the only way of restoring the family honour. But think you de Perigord will be able to induce de Caylus to fight without knowing who it is that sends the challenge?'
'Oh, surely! The Count at least does not lack for courage, and has fought many times. He must by now have superb confidence in his ability to hold his own against any man; so I cannot think for one moment that he would refuse a challenge, once he is assured that it comes from a person whose birth entitles him to send it.'
' 'Twill, all the same, be a most unusual meeting; and lest some unforeseen circumstances arise I would fain accompany you to it, to be on hand if needed.'
'Nay,' protested Roger, 'I thank you mightily. But I have no wish to involve you. Besides, you are not yet fully recovered from your wound.'
'I am not yet mended to the point of wielding a sword, but I have been riding again recently. You will need someone to hold your horse, and the Abbd being a priest 'tis but right that he should leave the scene as soon as he has assured de Caylus that his challenger is one who has the right to bear arms. Moreover, the Count is much more likely to accept your challenge if he is informed that someone of my status is present to see fair play.'
'All that you say is true,' Roger admitted, 'and I dare take no chances; so I accept your offer gratefully. As soon as I hear from de Perigord about a rendezvous I will let you know it, and when the time comes we will ride thither together.'
The following two days, Thursday and Friday, Roger spent both his mornings and evenings at a fencing- school he had occasionally frequented, which lay just off the
On the Friday evening he received a brief note from the Abbe, which ran:'
'Your man plans to spend Monday night at Meudon with Olympe. His habit on such occasions is to leave Versailles about eight o'clock; but to be on the safe side I will be waiting for you at half-past seven, a half-mile beyond Sevres on the Sevres-Chaville road.'
On Saturday morning Roger duly informed de la Tour d'Auvergne of the rendezvous, and got in three more fencing-bouts. Then, at six o'clock, he kept his appointment with Athenais.
When he told her his intentions she begged him not to expose himself and said that she would rather take the veil than have him risk his life for her sake. On his proving adamant she declared that she would go straight downstairs and defy her father, and thus render Roger's desperate scheme futile.
'My angel,' he said tenderly, 'I cannot stop you, but 'twould then be your act which would be futile. Having accepted the help of Monsieurs de Perigord and de la Tour d'Auvergne I cannot now draw back, or they would look upon me as a coward. I beg you not to plead further with me for, whatever you may do, I am now determined to fight de Caylus and kill him if I can.'
Plead she did, but without avail; and this, which they knew might be their last meeting, ended by her giving him her kerchief, to wear as her champion, and promising to refrain from burning her boats until Tuesday, the day before the wedding, by which time she would know whether her fiance or her lover had proved the victor.
It was later that evening that M. de Rochambeau said to Roger: 'Although 'tis Sunday to-morrow I intend to hold a conference. M. de Rayneval has returned in secret from the United Provinces and affairs there have now reached a point at which important decisions must be taken without further delay. During the past few months, M. de Montmorin seems to have caught His Majesty's congenital complaint of indecision; but I will have him shilly- shally with us no longer. He is coming here at four o'clock and my friends and I intend to put our views before him in no uncertain manner. We shall be fifteen, all told, so have the conference table prepared and hold yourself in readiness. I wish you to be present in the room to take note of the various viewpoints that may be expressed, and to draft a document which I plan that M. de Rayneval should take back with him.'
On numerous previous occasions Roger had attended such conferences for a similar purpose and, apart from the fact that this one was to be somewhat larger than usual, there was no reason to suppose that anything of exceptional interest would transpire at it. Having accepted the Marquis's orders with his habitual quiet deference, he was so wrapped up in his own affairs that he thought no more of it till the following afternoon.
Shortly before four o'clock, M. de Rochambeau's usual collaborators, Messieurs de Breteuil, de Polignac, de Castries and de Segur arrived with others who were less frequent visitors; the Due de Normandie, who was governor to the Dauphin, the famous Admiral de Suffren, France's greatest sailor, M. Berard, the head of the French East India Company, the Due de Lauzun and the Marquis de Vaudreuil, both close friends of the Queen, the Due de Chatelet, who had recently been replaced as Ambassador to the Court of St. James's by the Comte d'Adhemar, the Due de Coigny, the Master of the Royal Horse, and one man that Roger did not know. The party was completed by de Montmorin and de Rayneval.
When they had all seated themselves round the big oval table Roger sat down at a small one near the door, and M. de Rochambeau opened the proceedings.
