“Yes,” continued the duke, “really, I feel bored today beyond the power of description.”
“Then let us have a match in the tennis court,” exclaimed La Ramee.
“If you wish it.”
“I am at your service, my lord.”
“I protest, my dear La Ramee,” said the duke, “that you are a charming fellow and that I would stay forever at Vincennes to have the pleasure of your society.”
“My lord,” replied La Ramee, “I think if it depended on the cardinal your wishes would be fulfilled.”
“What do you mean? Have you seen him lately?”
“He sent for me today.”
“Really! to speak to you about me?”
“Of what else do you imagine he would speak to me? Really, my lord, you are his nightmare.”
The duke smiled with bitterness.
“Ah, La Ramee! if you would but accept my offers! I would make your fortune.”
“How? you would no sooner have left prison than your goods would be confiscated.”
“I shall no sooner be out of prison than I shall be master of Paris.”
“Pshaw! pshaw! I cannot hear such things said as that; this is a fine conversation with an officer of the king! I see, my lord, I shall be obliged to fetch a second Grimaud!”
“Very well, let us say no more about it. So you and the cardinal have been talking about me? La Ramee, some day when he sends for you, you must let me put on your clothes; I will go in your stead; I will strangle him, and upon my honor, if that is made a condition I will return to prison.”
“Monseigneur, I see well that I must call Grimaud.”
“Well, I am wrong. And what did the cuistre [pettifogger] say about me?”
“I admit the word, Monseigneur, because it rhymes with ministre [minister]. What did he say to me? He told me to watch you.”
“And why so? why watch me?” asked the duke uneasily.
“Because an astrologer had predicted that you would escape.”
“Ah! an astrologer predicted that?” said the duke, starting in spite of himself.
“Oh, mon Dieu! yes! those imbeciles of magicians can only imagine things to torment honest people.”
“And what did you reply to his most illustrious eminence?”
“That if the astrologer in question made almanacs I would advise him not to buy one.”
“Why not?”
“Because before you could escape you would have to be turned into a bird.”
“Unfortunately, that is true. Let us go and have a game at tennis, La Ramee.”
“My lord—I beg your Highness’s pardon—but I must beg for half an hour’s leave of absence.”
“Why?”
“Because Monseigneur Mazarin is a prouder man than His Highness, though not of such high birth: he forgot to ask me to breakfast.”
“Well, shall I send for some breakfast here?”
“No, my lord; I must tell you that the confectioner who lived opposite the castle—Daddy Marteau, as they called him—”
“Well?”
“Well, he sold his business a week ago to a confectioner from Paris, an invalid, ordered country air for his health.”
“Well, what have I to do with that?”
“Why, good Lord! this man, your Highness, when he saw me stop before his shop, where he has a display of things which would make your mouth water, my lord, asked me to get him the custom of the prisoners in the donjon. ‘I bought,’ said he, ‘the business of my predecessor on the strength of his assurance that he supplied the castle; whereas, on my honor, Monsieur de Chavigny, though I’ve been here a week, has not ordered so much as a tartlet.’ ‘But,’ I then replied, ‘probably Monsieur de Chavigny is afraid your pastry is not good.’ ‘My pastry not good! Well, Monsieur La Ramee, you shall judge of it yourself and at once.’ ‘I cannot,’ I replied; ‘it is absolutely necessary for me to return to the château.’ ‘Very well,’ said he, ‘go and attend to your affairs, since you seem to be in a hurry, but come back in half an hour.’ ‘In half an hour?’ ‘Yes, have you breakfasted?’ ‘Faith, no.’ ‘Well, here is a pâté that will be ready for you, with a bottle of old Burgundy.’ So, you see, my lord, since I am hungry, I would, with your Highness’s leave—” And La Ramee bent low.
“Go, then, animal,” said the duke; “but remember, I only allow you half an hour.”
“May I promise your custom to the successor of Father Marteau, my lord?”
“Yes, if he does not put mushrooms in his pies; thou knowest that mushrooms from the wood of Vincennes are fatal to my family.”
La Ramee went out, but in five minutes one of the officers of the guard entered in compliance with the strict orders of the cardinal that the prisoner should never be left alone a moment.
But during these five minutes the duke had had time to read again the note from Madame de Montbazon, which proved to the prisoner that his friends were concerting plans for his deliverance, but in what way he knew not.
But his confidence in Grimaud, whose petty persecutions he now perceived were only a blind, increased, and he conceived the highest opinion of his intellect and resolved to trust entirely to his guidance.
XIX
In Which the Contents of the Pâtés Made by the Successor of Father Marteau Are Described
In half an hour La Ramee returned, full of glee, like most men who have eaten, and more especially drank to their heart’s content. The pâtés were excellent, the wine delicious.
The weather was fine and the game at tennis took place in the open air.
At two o’clock the tennis balls began, according to Grimaud’s directions, to take the direction of the moat, much to the joy of La Ramee, who marked fifteen whenever the duke sent a ball into the moat; and very soon balls were wanting, so many had gone over. La Ramee then proposed to send someone to pick them up, but the duke remarked that it would be losing time; and going near the rampart himself and looking over, he saw a man working in one of the numerous little gardens
