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I point one of the poniards at La Ramee's breast and I say to him, 'My friend, I am sorry for it, but if thou stirrest, if thou utterest one cry, thou art a dead man!" The duke, in pronouncing these words, suited, as we have said, the action to the words.
The duke undid his belt and gave it to Grimaud, who tied La Ramee in such a way as to satisfy him. "Your feet, too," said Grimaud. La Ramee stretched out his legs, Grimaud took a table-cloth, tore it into strips and tied La Ramee's feet together. "Now, my lord," said the poor man, "let me have the poire d'angoisse.
Grimaud took from La Ramée's pockets all the keys that they contained, opened the room-door, shut and double-locked it when the duke and himself had passed out, and led the way to the court. This the fugitives reached without accident or encounter, and found it entirely deserted; no sentinels, nor any body at the windows that overlooked it.
"My lord," said La Ramee, "if you will take a bit of good advice, don't put that off till you are old." "Good!" said the Duc de Beaufort to himself, "every man in order that he may lose his heart and soul, must receive from celestial bounty one of the seven capital sins, perhaps two; it seems that Master La Ramee's is gluttony. Let us then take advantage of it."
"At a few minutes to seven," continued the duke, suiting the action to the word, "I take the crust off the pie. Inside it, I find two poniards, a rope-ladder, and a gag. I put one of the poniards to La Ramée's breast, and I say to him 'My good friend, La Ramée, if you make a motion or utter a cry, you are a dead man!"
The queen, who was scarcely less afraid of Monsieur de Beaufort than the cardinal himself, and who was almost as superstitious as he was, made him repeat word for word all La Ramee's praises of his deputy. Then, when the cardinal had ended: "Alas, sir! why have we not a Grimaud near every prince?" "Patience!" replied Mazarin, with his Italian smile; "that may happen one day; but in the meantime "
He was standing near the officer and he directed the point of the poniard in such a manner, close to La Ramee's heart, that there could be no doubt in the mind of that individual as to his determination. Meanwhile, Grimaud, still mute as ever, drew from the pie the other poniard, the rope ladder and the gag. La Ramee followed all these objects with his eyes, his alarm every moment increasing.
The guards asked La Ramée's permission, which he gave, but for the evening only. Up to that time he had various important matters to arrange, some of which would require him to absent himself from his prisoner, whom he did not wish to be lost sight of. Six o'clock came, and although the dinner-hour was fixed for seven, the table was already spread, and the enormous pie placed upon the side-board.
The duke saw that he had not controlled himself as he ought, but at that moment, as if he had listened at the door and comprehended the urgent need of diverting La Ramee's ideas, Grimaud entered and made a sign to La Ramee that he had something to say to him. La Ramee drew near to Grimaud, who spoke to him in a low voice. The duke meanwhile recovered his self-control.
La Ramee's mouth watered and he returned to the duke's chamber rubbing his hands. To crown his happiness, Monsieur de Chavigny had started on a journey that morning and in his absence La Ramee was deputy-governor of the chateau. As for Grimaud, he seemed more sullen than ever.
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