Monsieur Beaucaire | Page 4

al - ways fair, monsieur."
"You outrageous varlet! Every one knows you came to England as the
French Ambassador's barber. What man of fashion will listen to you?
Who will believe you?"
"All people, monsieur. Do you think I have not calculate', that I shall
make a failure of my little enterprise?"

"Bah!"
"Will monsieur not reseat himself?" M. Beaucaire made a low bow.
"So. We must not be too tire' for Lady Malbourne's rout. Ha, ha! And
you, Jean, Victor, and you others, retire; go in the hallway. Attend at
the entrance, Francois. So; now we shall talk. Monsieur, I wish you to
think very cool. Then listen; I will be briefly. It is that I am well known
to be all, entire' hones'. Gamblist? Ah, yes; true and mos profitable; but
fair, al - ways fair; every one say that. Is it not so? Think of it. And - is
there never a w'isper come to M. le Duc that not all people belief him to
play al - ways hones'? Ha, ha! Did it almos' be said to him las' year,
after when he play' with Milor' Tappin'ford at the chocolate-house - "
"You dirty scandal-monger!" the Duke burst out. "I'll - "
"Monsieur, monsieur!" said the Frenchman. "It is a poor valor to insult
a helpless captor. Can he retort upon his own victim? But it is for you
to think of what I say. True, I am not reco'nize on the parade; that my
frien's who come here do not present me to their ladies; that Meestaire
Nash has reboff' me in the pomp-room; still, am I not known for being
hones' and fair in my play, and will I not be belief, even I, when I lif'
my voice and charge you aloud with what is already w'isper'? Think of
it! You are a noble, and there will be some hang-dogs who might not
fall away from you. Only such would be lef' to you. Do you want it tol'?
And you can keep out of France, monsieur? I have lef' his service, but I
have still the ear of M. de Mirepoix, and he know' I never lie. Not a
gentleman will play you when you come to Paris."
The Englishman's white lip showed a row of scarlet dots upon it. "How
much do you want?" he said.
The room rang with the gay laughter of Beaucaire. "I hol' your note' for
seven-hunder' pound'. You can have them, monsieur. Why does a such
great man come to play M. Beaucaire? Because no one else willin' to
play M. le Duc - he cannot pay. Ha, ha! So he come' to good Monsieur
Beaucaire. Money, ha, ha! What I want with money?"
His Grace of Winterset's features were set awry to a sinister pattern. He

sat glaring at his companion in a snarling silence.
"Money? Pouf!" snapped the little gambler. "No, no, no! It is that M. le
Duc, impoverish', somewhat in a bad odor as he is, yet command the
entree any-where - onless I - Ha, ha! Eh, monsieur?"
"Ha! You dare think to force me - "
M. Beaucaire twirled the tip of his slender mustache around the end of
his white forefinger. Then he said: "Monsieur and me goin' to Lady
Malbourne's ball to-night - M. le Duc and me!"
The Englishman roared, "Curse your impudence!"
"Sit quiet. Oh, yes, that's all; we goin' together."
"No!"
"Certain. I make all my little plan'. 'Tis all arrange'." He paused, and
then said gravely, "You goin' present me to Lady Mary Carlisle."
The other laughed in utter scorn. "Lady Mary Carlisle, of all women
alive, would be the first to prefer the devil to a man of no birth, barber."
"'Tis all arrange'; have no fear; nobody question monsieur's You goin'
take me to-night - "
"No!"
"Yes. And after - then I have the entree. Is it much I ask? This one little
favor, and I never w'isper, never breathe that - it is to say, I am always
forever silent of monsieur's misfortune."
"You have the entree!" sneered the other. "Go to a lackeys' rout and
dance with the kitchen maids. If I would, I could not present you to
Bath society. I should have cartels from the fathers, brothers, and lovers
of every wench and madam in the place, even I. You would be thrust
from Lady Malbourne's door five minutes after you entered it."

"No, no, no!"
"Half the gentlemen in Bath have been here to play. They would know
you, wouldn't they, fool? You've had thousands out of Bantison, Rakell,
Guilford, and Townbrake. They would have you lashed by the grooms
as your ugly deserts are. You to speak to Lady Mary Carlisle! 'Od's
blood! You! Also, dolt, she would