communicated something like surprise and agitation to the
traveler.
As he was rising to make inquiries, the door of his chamber
opened. The unknown concluded they were about to introduce
the impatiently expected traveler, and made three
precipitate steps to meet him.
But, instead of the person he expected, it was Master
Cropole who appeared, and behind him, in the half-dark
staircase, the pleasant face of Madame Cropole, rendered
trivial by curiosity. She only gave one furtive glance at
the handsome gentleman, and disappeared.
Cropole advanced, cap in hand, rather bent than bowing,
A gesture of the unknown interrogated him, without a word
being pronounced.
“Monsieur,” said Cropole, “I come to ask how — what ought I
to say: your lordship, monsieur le comte, or monsieur le
marquis?”
“Say monsieur, and speak quickly,” replied the unknown, with
that haughty accent which admits of neither discussion nor
reply.
“I came, then, to inquire how monsieur had passed the night,
and if monsieur intended to keep this apartment?”
“Yes.”
“Monsieur, something has happened upon which we could not
reckon.”
“What?”
“His majesty Louis XIV. will enter our city to-day and will
remain here one day, perhaps two.”
Great astonishment was painted on the countenance of the
unknown.
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“The King of France coming to Blois?”
“He is on the road, monsieur.”
“Then there is the stronger reason for my remaining,” said
the unknown.
“Very well; but will monsieur keep all the apartments?”
“I do not understand you. Why should I require less to-day
than yesterday?”
“Because, monsieur, your lordship will permit me to say,
yesterday I did not think proper, when you chose your
lodging, to fix any price that might have made your lordship
believe that I prejudged your resources; whilst to-day —-
”
The unknown colored; the idea at once struck him that he was
supposed to be poor, and was being insulted.
“Whilst to-day,” replied he, coldly, “you do prejudge.”
“Monsieur, I am a well-meaning man, thank God! and simple
hotelier as I am, there is in me the blood of a gentleman.
My father was a servant and officer of the late Marechal
d’Ancre. God rest his soul!”
“I do not contest that point with you; I only wish to know,
and that quickly, to what your questions tend?”
“You are too reasonable, monsieur, not to comprehend that
our city is small, that the court is about to invade it,
that the houses will be overflowing with inhabitants, and
that lodgings will consequently obtain considerable prices.”
Again the unknown colored. “Name your terms,” said he.
“I name them with scruple, monsieur, because I seek an
honest gain, and that I wish to carry on my business without
being uncivil or extravagant in my demands. Now the room you
occupy is considerable, and you are alone.”
“That is my business.”
“Oh! certainly. I do not mean to turn monsieur out.”
The blood rushed to the temples of the unknown; he darted at
poor Cropole, the descendant of one of the officers of the
Marechal d’Ancre, a glance that would have crushed him down
to beneath that famous chimney-slab, if Cropole had not been
nailed to the spot by the question of his own proper
interests.
“Do you desire me to go?” said he. “Explain yourself — but
quickly.”
“Monsieur, monsieur, you do not understand me. It is very
critical — I know — that which I am doing. I express
myself badly, or perhaps, as monsieur is a foreigner, which
I perceive by his accent —- ”
In fact, the unknown spoke with that impetuosity which is
the principal character of English accentuation, even among
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
men who speak the French language with the neatest purity.
“As monsieur is a foreigner, I say, it is perhaps he who
does not catch my exact meaning. I wish for monsieur to give
up one or two of the apartments he occupies, which would
diminish his expenses and ease my conscience. Indeed, it is
hard to increase unreasonably the price of the chambers,
when one has had the honor to let them at a reasonable
price.”
“How much does the hire amount to since yesterday?”