"I will try the experiment at all events," thought De Blenau. "I could almost persuade myself that the man expects it."
Luckily it so happened, that amongst the baggage which had been prepared for Chantilly, was comprised a considerable sum of money, besides that which he carried about him: and now drawing forth his purse, the contents of which might amount to about a thousand livres, he placed it in the hands of the Governor.
"Let me beg you to accept of this, Monsieur le Gouverneur," said he, "not as any inducement to serve me contrary to your duty, but as a slight remuneration for the trouble which my being here must occasion."
The smooth-spoken Governor neither testified any surprise at this proceeding, nor any sort of reluctance to accept what De Blenau proffered. The purse dropped unrejected into his open palm, and it was very evident that his future conduct would greatly depend upon the amount of its contents, according as it was above or below his expectation.
"Monseigneur," replied he, "you are very good, and seem to understand the trouble which prisoners sometimes give, as well as if you had lived in the Bastille all your life; and you may depend upon it, as I said before, that every thing shall be done for your accommodation--always supposing it within my duty."
"I doubt you not, Sir," answered De Blenau, who from the moment the Governor's fingers had closed upon the purse, could hardly help regarding him as a menial who had taken his wages: "I doubt you not; and at the present moment I should be glad of supper, if such a thing can be procured within your walls."
"Most assuredly it can be procured _to-night_, Sir," replied the Governor; "but I am sorry to say, that we have two meager days in the week, at which times neither meat nor wine is allowed by Government, even for my own table: which is a very great and serious grievance, considering the arduous duties I am often called upon to perform."
"But of course such things can be procured from without," said De Blenau, "and on the days you have mentioned. I beg that you would not allow my table to bear witness of any such regulations; and farther, as I suppose that _you_, Sir, have the command of all this, I will thank you to order your purveyor to supply all that is usual for a man of my quality and fortune, for which he shall have immediate payment through your hands."