Grimaud thereupon presented himself with his smooth exteriorat the donjon of Vincennes. Now Monsieur de Chavigny piquedhimself on his infallible penetration; for that which almostproved that he was the son of Richelieu was his everlastingpretension; he examined attentively the countenance of theapplicant for place and fancied that the contractedeyebrows, thin lips, hooked nose, and prominent cheek-bonesof Grimaud were favorable signs. He addressed about twelvewords to him; Grimaud answered in four.

"Here's a promising fellow and it is I who have found outhis merits," said Monsieur de Chavigny. "Go," he added, "andmake yourself agreeable to Monsieur la Ramee, and tell himthat you suit me in all respects."

Grimaud had every quality that could attract a man on dutywho wishes to have a deputy. So, after a thousand questionswhich met with only a word in reply, La Ramee, fascinated bythis sobriety in speech, rubbed his hands and engagedGrimaud.

"My orders?" asked Grimaud.

"They are these; never to leave the prisoner alone; to keepaway from him every pointed or cutting instrument, and toprevent his conversing any length of time with the keepers."

"Those are all?" asked Grimaud.

"All now," replied La Ramee.

"Good," answered Grimaud; and he went right to the prisoner.

The duke was in the act of combing his beard, which he hadallowed to grow, as well as his hair, in order to reproachMazarin with his wretched appearance and condition. Buthaving some days previously seen from the top of the donjonMadame de Montbazon pass in her carriage, and stillcherishing an affection for that beautiful woman, he did notwish to be to her what he wished to be to Mazarin, and inthe hope of seeing her again, had asked for a leaden comb,which was allowed him. The comb was to be a leaden one,because his beard, like that of most fair people, was ratherred; he therefore dyed it thus whilst combing it.

As Grimaud entered he saw this comb on the tea-table; hetook it up, and as he took it he made a low bow.

The duke looked at this strange figure with surprise. Thefigure put the comb in its pocket.

"Ho! hey! what's that?" cried the duke. "Who is thiscreature?"

Grimaud did not answer, but bowed a second time.

"Art thou dumb?" cried the duke.

Grimaud made a sign that he was not.

"What art thou, then? Answer! I command thee!" said theduke.

"A keeper," replied Grimaud.

"A keeper!" reiterated the duke; "there was nothing wantingin my collection, except this gallows-bird. Halloo! LaRamee! some one!"

La Ramee ran in haste to obey the call.

"Who is this wretch who takes my comb and puts it in hispocket?" asked the duke.

"One of your guards, my prince; a man of talent and merit,whom you will like, as I and Monsieur de Chavigny do, I amsure."

"Why does he take my comb?"

"Why do you take my lord's comb?" asked La Ramee.

Grimaud drew the comb from his pocket and passing hisfingers over the largest teeth, pronounced this one word,"Pointed."

"True," said La Ramee.

"What does the animal say?" asked the duke.

"That the king has forbidden your lordship to have anypointed instrument."

"Are you mad, La Ramee? You yourself gave me this comb."

"I was very wrong, my lord, for in giving it to you I actedin opposition to my orders."

The duke looked furiously at Grimaud.

"I perceive that this creature will be my particularaversion," he muttered.

Grimaud, nevertheless, was resolved for certain reasons notat once to come to a full rupture with the prisoner; hewanted to inspire, not a sudden repugnance, but a good,sound, steady hatred; he retired, therefore, and gave placeto four guards, who, having breakfasted, could attend on theprisoner.

A fresh practical joke now occurred to the duke. He hadasked for crawfish for his breakfast on the followingmorning; he intended to pass the day in making a smallgallows and hang one of the finest of these fish in themiddle of his room - the red color evidently conveying anallusion to the cardinal - so that he might have thepleasure of hanging Mazarin in effigy without being accusedof having hung anything more significant than a crawfish.

The day was employed in preparations for the execution.Every one grows childish in prison, but the character ofMonsieur de Beaufort was particularly disposed to become so.In the course of his morning's walk he collected two orthree small branches from a tree and found a small piece ofbroken glass, a discovery that quite delighted him. When hecame home he formed his handkerchief into a loop.

Nothing of all this escaped Grimaud, but La Ramee looked onwith the curiosity of a father who thinks that he mayperhaps get a cheap idea concerning a new toy for hischildren. The guards looked on it with indifference. Wheneverything was ready, the gallows hung in the middle of theroom, the loop made, and when the duke had cast a glanceupon the plate of crawfish, in order to select the finestspecimen among them, he looked around for his piece ofglass; it had disappeared.

"Who has taken my piece of glass?" asked the duke, frowning.Grimaud made a sign to denote that he had done so.

"What! thou again! Why didst thou take it?"

"Yes - why?" asked La Ramee.

Grimaud, who held the piece of glass in his hand, said:"Sharp."

"True, my lord!" exclaimed La Ramee. "Ah! deuce take it! wehave a precious fellow here!"

"Monsieur Grimaud!" said the duke, "for your sake I beg ofyou, never come within the reach of my fist!"

"Hush! hush!" cried La Ramee, "give me your gibbet, my lord.I will shape it out for you with my knife."

And he took the gibbet and shaped it out as neatly aspossible.

"That's it," said the duke, "now make me a little hole inthe floor whilst I go and fetch the culprit."

La Ramee knelt down and made a hole in the floor; meanwhilethe duke hung the crawfish up by a thread. Then he placedthe gibbet in the middle of the room, bursting withlaughter.

La Ramee laughed also and the guards laughed in chorus;Grimaud, however, did not even smile. He approached La Rameeand showing him the crawfish hung up by the thread:

"Cardinal," he said.

"Hung by order of his Highness the Duc de Beaufort!" criedthe prisoner, laughing violently, "and by Master JacquesChrysostom La Ramee, the king's commissioner."

La Ramee uttered a cry of horror and rushed toward thegibbet, which he broke at once and threw the pieces out ofthe window. He was going to throw the crawfish out also,when Grimaud snatched it from his hands.

"Good to eat!" he said, and put it in his pocket.

This scene so enchanted the duke that at the moment heforgave Grimaud for his part in it; but on reflection hehated him more and more, being convinced he had some evilmotive for his conduct.

But the story of the crab made a great noise through theinterior of the donjon and even outside. Monsieur deChavigny, who at heart detested the cardinal, took pains totell the story to two or three friends, who put it intoimmediate circulation.

The prisoner happened to remark among the guards one manwith a very good countenance; and he favored this man themore as Grimaud became the more and more odious to him. Onemorning he took this man on one side and had succeeded inspeaking to him, when Grimaud entered and seeing what wasgoing on approached the duke respectfully, but took theguard by the arm.

"Go away," he said.

The guard obeyed.

"You are insupportable!" cried the duke; "I shall beat you."

Grimaud bowed.

"I will break every bone in your body!" cried the duke.

Grimaud bowed, but stepped back.

"Mr. Spy," cried the duke, more and more enraged, "I willstrangle you with my own hands."

And he extended his hands toward Grimaud, who merely thrustthe guard out and shut the door behind him. At the same timehe felt the duke's arms on his shoulders like two ironclaws; but instead either of calling out or defendinghimself, he placed his forefinger on his lips and said in alow tone:

"Hush!" smiling as he uttered the word.

A gesture, a smile and a word from Grimaud, all at once,were so unusual that his highness stopped short, astounded.

Grimaud took advantage of that instant to draw from his vesta charming little note with an aristocratic seal, andpresented it to the duke without a word.

The duke, more and more bewildered, let Grimaud loose andtook the note.

"From Madame de Montbazon?" he cried.

Grimaud nodded assent.

The duke tore open the note, passed his hands over his eyes,for he was dazzled and confused, and read:

"My Dear Duke, - You may entirely confide in the brave ladwho will give you this note; he has consented to enter theservice of your keeper and to shut himself up at Vincenneswith you, in order to prepare and assist your escape, whichwe are contriving. The moment of your deliverance is athand; have patience and courage and remember that in spiteof time and absence all your friends continue to cherish foryou the sentiments they have so long professed and trulyentertained.

"Yours wholly and most affectionately

"Marie de Montbazon.

"P.S. - I sign my full name, for I should be vain if Icould suppose that after five years of absence you wouldremember my initials."

The poor duke became perfectly giddy. What for five years hehad been wanting - a faithful servant, a friend, a helpinghand - seemed to have fallen from Heaven just when heexpected it the least.

"Oh, dearest Marie! she thinks of me, then, after five yearsof separation! Heavens! there is constancy!" Then turning toGrimaud, he said:

"And thou, my brave fellow, thou consentest thus to aid me?"

Grimaud signified his assent.

"And you have come here with that purpose?"

Grimaud repeated the sign.

"And I was ready to strangle you!" cried the duke.

Grimaud smiled.

"Wait, then," said the duke, fumbling in his pocket. "Wait,"he continued, renewing his fruitless search; "it shall notbe said that such devotion to a grandson of Henry IV. wentwithout recompense."

The duke's endeavors evinced the best intention in theworld, but one of the precautions taken at Vincennes wasthat of allowing prisoners to keep no money. WhereuponGrimaud, observing the duke's disappointment, drew from hispocket a purse filled with gold and handed it to him.

"Here is what you are looking for," he said.

The duke opened the purse and wanted to empty it intoGrimaud's hands, but Grimaud shook his head.

"Thank you, monseigneur," he said, drawing back; "I ampaid."

The duke went from one surprise to another. He held out hishand. Grimaud drew near and kissed it respectfully. Thegrand manner of Athos had left its mark on Grimaud.

"What shall we do? and when? and how proceed?"

"It is now eleven," answered Grimaud. "Let my lord at twoo'clock ask leave to make up a game at tennis with La Rameeand let him send two or three balls over the ramparts."

"And then?"

"Your highness will approach the walls and call out to a manwho works in the moat to send them back again."

"I understand," said the duke.

Grimaud made a sign that he was going away.

"Ah!" cried the duke, "will you not accept any money fromme?"

"I wish my lord would make me one promise."

"What! speak!"

"'Tis this: when we escape together, that I shall goeverywhere and be always first; for if my lord should beovertaken and caught, there's every chance of his beingbrought back to prison, whereas if I am caught the leastthat can befall me is to be - hung."

"True, on my honor as a gentleman it shall be as thou dostsuggest."

"Now," resumed Grimaud, "I've only one thing more to ask - that your highness will continue to detest me."

"I'll try," said the duke.

At this moment La Ramee, after the interview we havedescribed with the cardinal, entered the room. The duke hadthrown himself, as he was wont to do in moments of dullnessand vexation, on his bed. La Ramee cast an inquiring lookaround him and observing the same signs of antipathy betweenthe prisoner and his guardian he smiled in token of hisinward satisfaction. Then turning to Grimaud:

"Very good, my friend, very good. You have been spoken of ina promising quarter and you will soon, I hope, have newsthat will be agreeable to you."

Grimaud saluted in his politest manner and withdrew, as washis custom on the entrance of his superior.

"Well, my lord," said La Ramee, with his rude laugh, "youstill set yourself against this poor fellow?"

"So! 'tis you, La Ramee; in faith, 'tis time you came backagain. I threw myself on the bed and turned my nose to thewall, that I mightn't break my promise and strangleGrimaud."

"I doubt, however," said La Ramee, in sprightly allusion tothe silence of his subordinate, "if he has said anythingdisagreeable to your highness."

"Pardieu! you are right - a mute from the East! I swear itwas time for you to come back, La Ramee, and I was eager tosee you again."

"Monseigneur is too good," said La Ramee, flattered by thecompliment.

"Yes," continued the duke, "really, I feel bored todaybeyond the power of description."

"Then let us have a match in the tennis court," exclaimed LaRamee.

"If you wish it."

"I am at your service, my lord."

"I protest, my dear La Ramee," said the duke, "that you area charming fellow and that I would stay forever at Vincennesto have the pleasure of your society."

"My lord," replied La Ramee, "I think if it depended on thecardinal your wishes would be fulfilled."

"What do you mean? Have you seen him lately?"

"He sent for me to-day."

"Really! to speak to you about me?"

"Of what else do you imagine he would speak to me? Really,my lord, you are his nightmare."

The duke smiled with bitterness.

"Ah, La Ramee! if you would but accept my offers! I wouldmake your fortune."

"How? you would no sooner have left prison than your goodswould be confiscated."

"I shall no sooner be out of prison than I shall be masterof Paris."

"Pshaw! pshaw! I cannot hear such things said as that; thisis a fine conversation with an officer of the king! I see,my lord, I shall be obliged to fetch a second Grimaud!"

"Very well, let us say no more about it. So you and thecardinal have been talking about me? La Ramee, some day whenhe sends for you, you must let me put on your clothes; Iwill go in your stead; I will strangle him, and upon myhonor, if that is made a condition I will return to prison."

"Monseigneur, I see well that I must call Grimaud."

"Well, I am wrong. And what did the cuistre

"I admit the word, monseigneur, because it rhymes withministre

"And why so? why watch me?" asked the duke uneasily.

"Because an astrologer had predicted that you would escape."

"Ah! an astrologer predicted that?" said the duke, startingin spite of himself.

"Oh, mon Dieu! yes! those imbeciles of magicians can onlyimagine things to torment honest people."

"And what did you reply to his most illustrious eminence?"

"That if the astrologer in question made almanacs I wouldadvise him not to buy one."

"Why not?"

"Because before you could escape you would have to be turnedinto a bird."

"Unfortunately, that is true. Let us go and have a game attennis, La Ramee."

"My lord - I beg your highness's pardon - but I must begfor half an hour's leave of absence."

"Why?"

"Because Monseigneur Mazarin is a prouder man than hishighness, though not of such high birth: he forgot to ask meto breakfast."

"Well, shall I send for some breakfast here?"

"No, my lord; I must tell you that the confectioner wholived opposite the castle - Daddy Marteau, as they calledhim - - "

"Well?"

"Well, he sold his business a week ago to a confectionerfrom Paris, an invalid, ordered country air for his health."

"Well, what have I to do with that?"

"Why, good Lord! this man, your highness, when he saw mestop before his shop, where he has a display of things whichwould make your mouth water, my lord, asked me to get himthe custom of the prisoners in the donjon. `I bought,' saidhe, `the business of my predecessor on the strength of hisassurance that he supplied the castle; whereas, on my honor,Monsieur de Chavigny, though I've been here a week, has notordered so much as a tartlet.' `But,' I then replied,`probably Monsieur de Chavigny is afraid your pastry is notgood.' `My pastry not good! Well, Monsieur La Ramee, youshall judge of it yourself and at once.' `I cannot,' Ireplied; `it is absolutely necessary for me to return to thechateau.' `Very well,' said he, `go and attend to youraffairs, since you seem to be in a hurry, but come back inhalf an hour.' `In half an hour?' `Yes, have youbreakfasted?' `Faith, no.' `Well, here is a pate that willbe ready for you, with a bottle of old Burgundy.' So, yousee, my lord, since I am hungry, I would, with yourhighness's leave - - " And La Ramee bent low.

"Go, then, animal," said the duke; "but remember, I onlyallow you half an hour."

"May I promise your custom to the successor of FatherMarteau, my lord?"

"Yes, if he does not put mushrooms in his pies; thou knowestthat mushrooms from the wood of Vincennes are fatal to myfamily."

La Ramee went out, but in five minutes one of the officersof the guard entered in compliance with the strict orders ofthe cardinal that the prisoner should never be left alone amoment.

But during these five minutes the duke had had time to readagain the note from Madame de Montbazon, which proved to theprisoner that his friends were concerting plans for hisdeliverance, but in what way he knew not.

But his confidence in Grimaud, whose petty persecutions henow perceived were only a blind, increased, and he conceivedthe highest opinion of his intellect and resolved to trustentirely to his guidance.