"I am sorry to say it is," replied his companion. "My orders are to carry you thither direct; but I hope that your sojourn will not be long within its walls. Without doubt, you will soon be able to clear yourself."
"I must first know of what I am accused," replied the Count. "If they cry in my case, as in that of poor Clement Marot, _Prenez le, il a mangé le lard_, I shall certainly plead guilty; but I know of no state crime which I have committed, except eating meat on a Friday.--It is as well, perhaps, Monsieur de Thiery," continued he, falling into a graver tone, "to take these things lightly. I cannot imagine that the Cardinal means me harm; for he must well know that I have done nothing to deserve ill, either from my King or my country. Pray God his Eminence's breast be as clear as mine!"
"Umph!" cried the old soldier, with a meaning shake of the head, "I should doubt that, De Blenau. You have neither had time nor occasion to get it so choked up as doubtless his must be.--But these are bad subjects to talk upon: though I swear to Heaven, Sir Count, that when I was sent upon this errand, I would have given a thousand livres to have found that you had been wise enough to set out last night for some other place."
"Innocence makes one incautious," replied De Blenau; "but I will own, I was surprised to find that the business had been put upon you."
"So was I," rejoined the other. "I was astonished, indeed, when I received the _lettre de cachet_. But a soldier has nothing to do but to obey, Monsieur de Blenau. It is true, I one time thought to make an excuse; but, on reflection, I found that it would do you no good, and that some one might be sent to whom you would less willingly give your sword than to old De Thiery. But here we are at the Palace, Sir. There is a carriage in waiting; will you take any refreshment before you go?"
The prospect of imprisonment for an uncertain period, together with a few little evils, such as torture, and death, in the perspective, had not greatly increased De Blenau's appetite, and he declined accepting the Count de Thiery's offer, but requested that his Page might be allowed to accompany him to Paris. The orders of Richelieu, however, were strict in this respect, and De Thiery was obliged to refuse. "But," added he, "if the boy has wit, he may smuggle himself into the Bastille afterwards. Let him wait for a day or two, and then crave of the gaoler to see you. The prison is not kept so close as those on the outside of it imagine. I have been in more than once myself to see friends who have been confined there. There was poor La Forte, who was afterwards beheaded, and the Chevalier de Caply, who is in there still. I have seen them both in the Bastille."