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me； so I mus' only say what I can have strength for； and stand straight till
he is gone。 Beside'； there are other rizzons。 Ah； you mus' belief！ My
Molyneux I sen' for； and tell him all； because he show courtesy to the
yo'ng Frenchman； and I can trus' him。 I trus' you； mademoiselle … long ago
… and would have tol' you ev'rything； excep' jus' because … well； for the
romance； the fon！ You belief？ It is so clearly so； you do belief；
mademoiselle？〃
She did not even look at him。 M。 Beaucaire lifted his hand appealingly
toward her。 〃Can there be no faith in … in … he said timidly； and paused。
She was silent； a statue； my Lady Disdain。
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Monsieur Beaucaire
〃If you had not belief' me to be an impostor； if I had never said I was
Chateaurien； if I had been jus' that Monsieur Beaucaire of the story they
tol' you； but never with the heart of a lackey； an hones' man； a man； the
man you knew； himself； could you … would you … 〃 He was trying to
speak firmly； yet； as he gazed upon her splendid beauty； he choked slightly；
and fumbled in the lace at his throat with unsteady fingers。 … 〃Would you …
have let me ride by your side in the autumn moonlight？〃 Her glance
passed by him as it might have passed by a footman or a piece of furniture。
He was dressed magnificently； a multitude of orders glittering on his
breast。 Her eye took no knowledge of him。
〃Mademoiselle…I have the honor to ask you： if you had known this
Beaucaire was hones'； though of peasant birth； would you … 〃
Involuntarily； controlled as her icy presence was； she shuddered。 There
was a moment of silence。
〃Mr。 Molyneux；〃 said Lady Mary； 〃in spite of your discourtesy in
allowing a servant to address me； I offer you a last chance to leave this
room undisgraced。 Will you give me your arm？〃
〃Pardon me； madam；〃 said Mr。 Molyneux。
Beaucaire dropped into a chair with his head bent low and his arm
outstretched on the table； his eyes filled slowly in spite of himself； and two
tears rolled down the young man's cheeks。
〃An' live men are jus' … names！〃 said M。 Beaucaire。
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Monsieur Beaucaire
Chapter Six
In the outer room； Winterset； unable to find Lady Mary； and
supposing her to have joined Lady Rellerton； disposed of his negus； then
approached the two visitors to pay his respects to the young prince； whom
he discovered to be a stripling of seventeen； arrogant looking； but pretty as
a girl。 Standing beside the Marquis de Mirepoix … a man of quiet bearing
… he was surrounded by a group of the great； among whom Mr。 Nash
naturally counted himself。 The Beau was felicitating himself that the
foreigners had not arrived a week earlier； in which case he and Bath would
have been detected in a piece of gross ignorance concerning the French
nobility … making much of de Mirepoix's ex…barber。
〃'Tis a lucky thing that fellow was got out of the way；〃 he ejaculated；
under cover。
〃Thank me for it；〃 rejoined Winterset。
An attendant begged Mr。 Nash's notice。 The head bailiff sent word
that Beaucaire had long since entered the building by a side door。 It was
supposed Mr。 Nash had known of it； and the Frenchman was not arrested；
as Mr。 Molyneux was in his company； and said he would be answerable
for him。 Consternation was so plain on the Beau's trained face that the
Duke leaned toward him anxiously。
〃The villain's in； and Molyneux hath gone mad！〃
Mr。 Bantison； who had been fiercely elbowing his way toward them；
joined heads with them。 〃You may well say he is in；〃 he exclaimed 〃and if
you want to know where； why； in yonder card…room。 I saw him through
the half…open door。〃
〃What's to be done？〃 asked the Beau。
〃Send the bailiffs … 〃
〃Fie； fie！ A file of bailiffs？ The scandal！〃
〃Then listen to me；〃 said the Duke。 〃I'll select half…a…dozen
gentlemen； explain the matter； and we'll put him in the center of us and
take him out to the bailiffs。 'Twill appear nothing。 Do you remain here
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Monsieur Beaucaire
and keep the attention of Beaujolais and de Mirepoix。 Come； Bantison；
fetch Townbrake and Harry Rakell yonder； I'll bring the others。〃
Three minutes later； his Grace of Winterset flung wide the card…room
door； and； after his friends had entered； closed it。
〃Ah！〃 remarked M。 Beaucaire quietly。 〃Six more large men。
The Duke； seeing Lady Mary； started； but the angry signs of her
interview had not left her face； and reassured him。 He offered his hand to
conduct her to the door。 〃May I have the honor？〃
〃If this is to be known； 'twill be better if I leave after； I should be
observed if I went now。〃
〃As you will； madam；〃 he answered； not displeased。 〃And now； you
impudent villain；〃 he began； turning to M。 Beaucaire； but to fall back
astounded。 〃'Od's blood； the dog hath murdered and robbed some royal
prince！〃 He forgot Lady Mary's presence in his excitement。 〃Lay hands
on him！〃 he shouted。 〃Tear those orders from him！〃
Molyneux threw himself between。 〃One word！〃 he cried。 〃One
word before you offer an outrage you will repent all your lives！〃
〃Or let M。 de Winterset come alone；〃 laughed M。 Beaucaire。
〃Do you expect me to fight a cut…throat barber； and with bare hands？〃
〃I think one does not expec' monsieur to fight anybody。 Would I fight
you； you think？ That was why I had my servants； that evening we play。
I would gladly fight almos' any one in the won'； but I did not wish to soil
my hand with a … 〃
〃Stuff his lying mouth with his orders！〃 shouted the Duke。
But Molyneux still held the gentiemen back。 〃One moment；〃 he
cried。
〃M。 de Winterset；〃 said Beaucaire； 〃of what are you afraid？ You
calculate well。 Beaucaire might have been belief … an impostor that you
yourself expose'？ Never！ But I was not goin' reveal that secret。 You
have not absolve me of my promise。〃
〃Tell what you like；〃 answered the Duke。 〃Tell all the wild lies you
have time for。 You have five minutes to make up your mind to go
quietly。〃
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Monsieur Beaucaire
〃Now you absolve me； then？ Ha； ha！ Oh； yes！ Mademoiselle；〃 he
bowed to Lady Mary； 〃I have the honor to reques' you leave the room。 You
shall miss no details if these frien's of yours kill me； on the honor of a
French gentleman。〃
〃A French what？〃 laughed Bantison。
〃Do you dare keep up the pretense？〃 cried Lord Town brake。 〃Know；
you villain barber； that your master； the Marquis de Mirepoix； is in the
next room。〃
Molyneux heaved a great sigh of relief。 〃Shall I … 〃 He turned to M。
Beaucaire。
The young man laughed； and said： 〃Tell him come here at once。
〃Impudent to the last！〃 cried Bantison； as Molyneux hurried from the
room。
〃Now you goin' to see M。 Beaucaire's master；〃 said Beaucaire to Lady
Mary。 〃'Tis true what I say； the other night。 I cross from Prance in his
suite； my passport say as his barber。 Then to pass the ennui of exile； I
come to Bath and play for what one will。 It kill the time。 But when the
people hear I have been a servant they come only secretly； and there is one
of them … he has absolve' me of a promise not to speak … of him I learn
something he cannot wish to be tol'。 I make some trouble to learn this
thing。 Why I should do this？ Well … that is my own rizzon。 So I make
this man help me in a masque； the unmasking it was； for； as there is no one
to know me； I throw off my black wig and become myself … and so I am
'Chateaurien；' Castle Nowhere。