with himself, "these are two charming things to be encountered in a rendezvous,—a sword and a wench; but I do not see why I should miss the one for the sake of the other, when I can have both."
He replaced his sword in its scabbard.
"Go to your rendezvous," said the man.
"Monsieur," replied Phœbus with some embarrassment, "many thanks for your courtesy. In fact, there will be ample time to-morrow for us to chop up father Adam's doublet into slashes and buttonholes. I am obliged to you for allowing me to pass one more agreeable quarter of an hour. I certainly did hope to put you in the gutter, and still arrive in time for the fair one, especially as it has a better appearance to make the women wait a little in such cases. But you strike me as having the air of a gallant man, and it is safer to defer our affair until to-morrow. So I will betake myself to my rendezvous; it is for seven o'clock, as you know." Here Phœbus scratched his ear. "Ah. Corne Dieu! I had forgotten! I haven't a sou to discharge the price of the garret, and the old crone will insist on being paid in advance. She distrusts me."
"Here is the wherewithal to pay."
Phœbus felt the stranger's cold hand slip into his a large piece of money. He could not refrain from taking the money and pressing the hand.
"Vrai Dieu!" he exclaimed, "you are a good fellow!"
"One condition," said the man. "Prove to me that I have been wrong and that you were speaking the truth. Hide me in some comer whence I can see whether this woman is really the one whose name you uttered."
"Oh!" replied Phœbus, "'tis all one to me. We will take the Sainte-Marthe chamber; you can look at your ease from the kennel hard by."
"Come then," said the shadow."
"At your service," said the captain, "I know not whether you are Messer Diavolus in person; but let us be good friends for this evening; to-morrow I will repay you all my debts, both of purse and sword."
