had it come from a man whom I held in greater respect I might
have complied with it in an indirect fashion. But though it
might have led me under some circumstances to discard Diego,
naturally, since it confirmed his story in some points, and
proved besides that he was not a persona grata at the Spanish
Embassy, it did not lead me to value him less. And as within the
week he was so fortunate as to defeat La Varenne's champion in a
great match at the Louvre, and won also a match, at M. de
Montpensier's which put fifty crowns into my pocket, I thought
less and less of d'Evora's remonstrance; until the king's return
put it quite out of my head. The entanglement with Mademoiselle
d'Entragues, which was destined to be the most fatal of all
Henry's attachments, was then in the forming; and the king
plunged into every kind of amusement with fresh zest. The very
day after his return he matched his marker, a rogue, but an
excellent player, against my man; and laid me twenty crowns on
the event, the match to be played on the following Saturday after
a dinner which M. de Lude was giving in honour of the lady.

On the Thursday, however, who should come in to me, while I was
sitting alone after supper, but Maignan: who, closing the door
and dismissing the page who waited there, told me with a very
long face and an air of vast importance that he had discovered
something.

"Something?" I said, being inclined at the moment to be merry.
"What? A plot to reduce your perquisites, you rascal?"

"No, my lord," he answered stoutly. "But to tap your
excellency's secrets."