The Queen's Necklace Part 85

"Oh! poor Souza, I know him well," said he, laughing.

"With whom am I to conclude the transaction?" asked M. Boehmer.

"With myself; you will see no one else. To-morrow I will bring the 100,000 francs, and will sign the agreement. And as you are a man of secrets, M. Boehmer, remember that you now possess an important one."

"Monseigneur, I feel it, and will merit your confidence and the queen's."

M. de Rohan went away happy, like all men who ruin themselves in a transport of pa.s.sion.

The next day M. Boehmer went to the hotel of the Portuguese amba.s.sador. At the moment he knocked at the door, M. Beausire was going through some accounts with M. Ducorneau, while Don Manoel was taking over some new plan with the valet, his a.s.sociate.

M. Ducorneau was charmed to find an amba.s.sador so free from national prejudice as to have formed his whole establishment of Frenchmen. Thus his conversation was full of praises of him.

"The Souzas, you see," replied Beausire, "are not of the old school of Portuguese. They are great travelers, very rich, who might be kings if they liked."

"And do they not?"

"Why should they? With a certain number of millions, and the name of a prince, one is better than a king."

"Ah, Portugal will soon become great with such men at its head. But when is the presentation to take place? It is most anxiously looked for. The people around begin to talk of it, and to collect about the doors of the hotel, as though they were of gla.s.s, and they could see through."

"Do you mean the people of the neighborhood?" asked Beausire.

"And others; for, the mission of M. de Souza being a secret one, you may be sure the police would soon interest themselves about it; and look,"

continued Ducorneau, leading Beausire to the window, "do you see that man in the brown surtout, how he looks at the house?"

"Yes, he does indeed. Who do you take him to be?"

"Probably a spy of M. de Crosne. However, between ourselves, M. de Crosne is not equal to M. Sartines. Did you know him?"

"No."

"Ah! he would have found out all about you long ago, in spite of all your precautions."

A bell rang. "His excellency rings!" said Beausire, who was beginning to feel embarra.s.sed by the conversation, and opening the door quickly, he nearly knocked down two of the clerks who were listening.

CHAPTER XLII.

IN WHICH M. DUCORNEAU UNDERSTANDS NOTHING OF WHAT IS Pa.s.sING.

Don Manoel was less yellow than usual, that is to say, he was more red.

He had just been having a fierce altercation with his valet, and they were still disputing when Beausire entered.

"Come, M. Beausire, and set us right," said the valet.

"About what?"

"This 100,000 francs. It is the property of the a.s.sociation, is it not?"

"Certainly."

"Ah, M. Beausire agrees with me."

"Wait," said Don Manoel.

"Well, then," continued the valet, "the chest ought not to be kept close to the amba.s.sador's room."

"Why not?" asked Beausire.

"M. Manoel ought to give us each a key to it."

"Not so," said Manoel; "do you suspect me of wis.h.i.+ng to rob the a.s.sociation? I may equally suspect you, when you ask for a key."

"But," said the valet, "we have all equal rights."

"Really, monsieur, if you wish to make us all equal, we ought to have played the amba.s.sador in turn. It would have been less plausible in the eyes of the public, but it would have satisfied you."

"And besides," said Beausire, "M. Manoel has the incontestable privilege of the inventor."

"Oh," replied the valet, "the thing once started, there are no more privileges. I do not speak for myself only; all our comrades think the same."

"They are wrong," said both Manoel and Beausire.

"I was wrong myself to take the opinion of M. Beausire; of course the secretary supports the amba.s.sador."

"Monsieur," replied Beausire, "you are a knave, whose ears I would slit, if it had not already been done too often. You insult me by saying that I have an understanding with Manoel."

"And me also," said Manoel.

"And I demand satisfaction," added Beausire.

"Oh, I am no fighter."

"So I see," said Beausire, seizing hold of him.

"Help! help!" cried the valet, attacked at once by both of them. But just then they heard a bell ring.

"Leave him, and let him open the door," said Manoel.

"Our comrades shall hear all this," replied the valet.

"Tell them what you please; we will answer for our conduct."

"M. Boehmer!" cried the porter from below.