"The Baron de Rosny," he answered; adding with a sneer, "He is a
careful man! If they were all like him, with eyes on both sides
of his head and a dag by his candle--well, my lord, there would
be one more king in France--or one less! But they are a blind
lot: as blind as bats." He muttered something farther in which
I caught the word "to-night." But I did not hear it all; or
understand any of it.

"Your lordships are going to Paris?" he resumed in a different
tone. When I said that we were, he looked at me in a shamefaced
way, half timid, half arrogant. "I have a small favour to ask of
you then," he said. "I am going to Paris myself. I am not
afraid of odds, as you have seen. But the roads will be in a
queer state if there be anything on foot in the city, and--well,
I would rather ride with you gentlemen than alone."

"You are welcome to join us," I said. "But we start in half-an-
hour. Do you know Paris well?"

"As well as my sword-hilt," he replied briskly, relieved I
thought by my acquiescence, "And I have known that from my
breeching. If you want a game at PAUME, or a pretty girl to
kiss, I can put you in the way for the one or the other."

The half rustic shrinking from the great city which I felt,
suggested to me that our swashbuckling friend might help us if he
would. "Do you know M. de Pavannes?" I asked impulsively,
"Where he lives in Paris, I mean?"

"M. Louis de Pavannes?" quoth he.