By-and-by he laughed sourly. "You have lighted the
fire," he said, "and would fain I put it out."
"We would have you hinder it spreading."
"You have done the deed and are loth to pay the blood-money. That is it,
is it?
"We prefer to pay it to M. de Biron," Count Hannibal answered civilly.
Again the Grand Master was silent awhile. At length he looked up and
fixed Tavannes with eyes keen as steel.
"What is behind?" he growled. "Say, man, what is it? What is behind?"
"If there be aught behind, I do not know it," Tavannes answered
steadfastly.
M. de Biron relaxed the fixity of his gaze. "But you said that you had
an object?" he returned.
"I had--in being the bearer of the message."
"What was it?"
"My object? To learn two things."
"The first, if it please you?" The Grand Master's chin stuck out a
little, as he spoke.
"Have you in the Arsenal a M. de Tignonville, a gentleman of Poitou?"
"I have not," Biron answered curtly. "The second?"
"Have you here a Huguenot minister?"
"I have not. And if I had I should not give him up," he added firmly.
Tavannes shrugged his shoulders. "I have a use for one," he said
carelessly. "But it need not harm him."
"For what, then, do you need him?"
"To marry me."
The other stared.
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