"He! This Malbrouck. He! Yet now he fights against her!"
"In truth he did, and so learnt the art of war. He was colonel of the English regiment in the Palatinate under Turenne. That should have taught him something. Also----"
But there came an interruption at this moment. The side of the bilander grated against the great timbers of the dock, the hawsers were thrown out; _Le Grand Roi_ had arrived at the end of her journey. A moment later the _douaniers_ were swarming into the vessel, hoarse cries were heard, the passengers were ordered to prepare their necessaries for inspection, and to have their papers ready.
Among some of the first, though not absolutely one of the first, M. de Belleville was subjected to inspection. His passport was perused by the _douanier_, who mumbled out as he did so, "Height, five feet ten. _Hein!_" raising his eyes to the young man's face. "I should have said an inch more."
"I should have said two more," M. de Belleville replied with a laugh. "_Mais, que voulez vous?_ The monsieur at our embassy would have it so, in spite of my pardonable remonstrances. Therefore five feet ten I have to be. And he was short himself. Let us forgive him."
"Monsieur is gay and debonair. _Bon!_ That is the way to live long. Eyes, dark. _Bon!_ Hair," putting up a forefinger and lifting M. de Belleville's peruke an inch or so, "dark. _Bon!_ Age, twenty-nine."
"Another affront. I assure you, monsieur, I told the gentleman I am but twenty-eight and four months."
"_Ohé!_ Monsieur has a light vein. When a man has passed twenty-eight he is twenty-nine in the eyes of the law. Monsieur's vanity need not be offended. Now, monsieur, the pockets. 'Tis but a ceremony, I assure monsieur."
The pockets were soon done with. The man saw a purse through which glistened many pistoles and louis d'or and gold crowns, several bills drawn by the great French banker Bernard, which could be changed almost anywhere, and--a portrait.
"_Hein!_" the man said, though not rudely. "A beautiful young lady. Handsome as monsieur himself, doubtless one whom----"
"I have none. By to-night, or to-morrow, or the next day, I hope to be in Marshal de Boufflers' lines."
"Monsieur must ride then. The Marshal's lines stretch from----"