"
Nancay scowled. "But the priests say, 'If your hand offend you, cut it
off!'" he muttered.
Tavannes laughed, a sinister laugh. "If you offend me I'll cut your
throat," he said; and with no ceremony he went out, and dropped the
curtain behind him.
Nancay looked after him, his face pale with rage. "Curse him!" he
whispered, rubbing his wrist. "If he were any one else I would teach
him! But he would as soon run you through in the presence as in the Pre
aux Clercs! And his brother, the Marshal, has the King's ear! And
Madame Catherine's too, which is worse!"
He was still fuming, when an officer in the colours of Monsieur, the
King's brother, entered hurriedly, and keeping his hand on the curtain,
looked anxiously round the Chamber. As soon as his eye found Nancay, his
face cleared.
"Have you the reckoning?" he muttered.
"There are seventeen Huguenots in the palace besides their Highnesses,"
Nancay replied, in the same cautious tone. "Not counting two or three
who are neither the one thing nor the other. In addition, there are the
two Montmorencies; but they are to go safe for fear of their brother, who
is not in the trap. He is too like his father, the old Bench-burner, to
be lightly wronged! And, besides, there is Pare, who is to go to his
Majesty's closet as soon as the gates are shut.
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