also that I and one of your men had best be here at eight this
morning and wait until you came out."

"I did not know that he had sent such a message, Paolo, but I will
when we get to the hotel tell you why he sent it."

The street was somewhat crowded, and Hector had gone but a short
distance when he saw three gentlemen, who he knew to be intimates
of the Duke of Beaufort, coming in the other direction. One of them
was Monsieur de Beauvais, who said in a loud tone to his companions
just as Hector was passing:

"That is the Scotchman whom the cardinal employs to do his dirty
business."

Hector faced round at once. "At any rate, Monsieur de Beauvais,
the Scotchman in question is not employed by the cardinal as an
assassin, which is an even more dishonourable post."

De Beauvais turned white with anger. "Behind the Luxembourg in an
hour's time, Monsieur de Villar."

"I shall be there," Hector said coldly. He paused a minute, after
the three gentlemen, with the customary salute, walked on. He
did not like to go to the Hotel Mazarin lest the cardinal should
obtain news of what was going to take place, so he waited in the
neighbourhood, knowing that some of Mazarin's personal friends would
be sure to arrive about this hour. Presently he saw a colonel who,
like himself, was spending the winter in Paris, and who frequently
attended the cardinal's levees.