At the foot of the staircase Tignonville paused. The droning Norman
voices of the men on guard issued from an open door a few paces before
him on the left. He caught a jest, the coarse chuckling laughter which
attended it, and the gurgle of applause which followed; and he knew that
at any moment one of the men might step out and discover him. Fortunately
the door of the room with the shattered window was almost within reach of
his hand on the right side of the passage, and he stepped softly to it.
He stood an instant hesitating, his hand on the latch; then, alarmed by a
movement in the guard-room, as if some were rising, he pushed the door in
a panic, slid into the room, and shut the door behind him. He was safe,
and he had made no noise; but at the table, at supper, with his back to
him and his face to the partly closed window, sat Count Hannibal!
The young man's heart stood still. For a long minute he gazed at the
Count's back, spellbound and unable to stir. Then, as Tavannes ate on
without looking round, he began to take courage. Possibly he had entered
so quietly that he had not been heard, or possibly his entrance was taken
for that of a servant. In either case, there was a chance that he might
retire after the same fashion; and he had actually raised the latch, and
was drawing the door to him with infinite precaution, when Tavannes'
voice struck him, as it were, in the face.
"Pray do not admit the draught, M. de Tignonville," he said, without
looking round. "In your cowl you do not feel it, but it is otherwise
with me."
The unfortunate Tignonville stood transfixed, glaring at the back of the
other's head. For an instant he could not find his voice. At last-"Curse you!" he hissed in a transport of rage. "Curse you! You did
know, then? And she was right."
"If you mean that I expected you, to be sure, Monsieur," Count Hannibal
answered. "See, your place is laid. You will not feel the air from
without there. The very becoming dress which you have adopted secures
you from cold. But--do you not find it somewhat oppressive this summer
weather?"
"Curse you!" the young man cried, trembling.
Tavannes turned and looked at him with a dark smile. "The curse may
fall," he said, "but I fancy it will not be in consequence of your
petitions, Monsieur. And now, were it not better you played the man?"
"If I were armed," the other cried passionately, "you would not insult
me!"
"Sit down, sir, sit down," Count Hannibal answered sternly. "We will
talk of that presently. In the mean time I have something to say to you.
Will you not eat?"