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“If this is to be known, ’twill be better if I leave after; I should be observed if I went now.”

“As you will, madam,” he answered, not displeased. “And now, you impudent villain,” he began, turning to M. Beaucaire, but to fall back astounded. “‘Od’s blood, the dog hath murdered and robbed some royal prince!” He forgot Lady Mary’s presence in his excitement. “Lay hands on him!” he shouted. “Tear those orders from him!”

Molyneux threw himself between. “One word!” he cried. “One word before you offer an outrage you will repent all your lives!”

“Or let M. de Winterset come alone,” laughed M. Beaucaire.

“Do you expect me to fight a cut-throat barber, and with bare hands?”

“I think one does not expec’ monsieur to fight anybody. Would I fight you, you think? That was why I had my servants, that evening we play. I would gladly fight almos’ any one in the won’; but I did not wish to soil my hand with a–“

“Stuff his lying mouth with his orders!” shouted the Duke.

But Molyneux still held the gentlemen back. “One moment,” he cried.

“M. de Winterset,” said Beaucaire, “of what are you afraid? You calculate well. Beaucaire might have been belief–an impostor that you yourself expose’? Never! But I was not goin’ reveal that secret. You have not absolve me of my promise.”

“Tell what you like,” answered the Duke. “Tell all the wild lies you have time for. You have five minutes to make up your mind to go quietly.”

“Now you absolve me, then? Ha, ha! Oh, yes! Mademoiselle,” he bowed to Lady Mary, “I have the honor to reques’ you leave the room. You shall miss no details if these frien’s of yours kill me, on the honor of a French gentleman.”

“A French what?” laughed Bantison.

“Do you dare keep up the pretense?” cried Lord Town brake. “Know, you villain barber, that your master, the Marquis de Mirepoix, is in the next room.”

Molyneux heaved a great sigh of relief. “Shall I–” He turned to M. Beaucaire.

The young man laughed, and said: “Tell him come here at once.

“Impudent to the last!” cried Bantison, as Molyneux hurried from the room.

“Now you goin’ to see M. Beaucaire’s master,” said Beaucaire to Lady Mary. “‘Tis true what I say, the other night. I cross from Prance in his suite; my passport say as his barber. Then to pass the ennui of exile, I come to Bath and play for what one will. It kill the time. But when the people hear I have been a servant they come only secretly; and there is one of them–he has absolve’ me of a promise not to speak–of him I learn something he cannot wish to be tol’. I make some trouble to learn this thing. Why I should do this? Well–that is my own rizzon. So I make this man help me in a masque, the unmasking it was, for, as there is no one to know me, I throw off my black wig and become myself–and so I am ‘Chateaurien,’ Castle Nowhere. Then this man I use’, this Winterset, he–“

“I have great need to deny these accusations?” said the Duke.

“Nay,” said Lady Mary wearily.

“Shall I tell you why I mus’ be ‘Victor’ and ‘Beaucaire’ and ‘Chateaurien,’ and not myself?”

“To escape from the bailiffs for debts for razors and soap,” gibed Lord Townbrake.

“No, monsieur. In France I have got a cousin who is a man with a very bad temper at some time’, and he will never enjoy his relatives to do what he does not wish–“

He was interrupted by a loud commotion from without. The door was flung open, and the young Count of Beaujolais bounded in and threw his arms about the neck of M. Beaucaire.

“Philippe!” he cried. “My brother, I have come to take you back with me.”

M. de Mirepoix followed him, bowing as a courtier, in deference; but M. Beaucaire took both his hands heartily. Molyneux came after, with Mr. Nash, and closed the door.