Pierre Pevel - By The Alchemist in the Shadows Page 0,48
say.'
And while the old gentleman prepared a second tartine for her, Agnes explained:
'Teyssier believes that the dracs have a sorcerer with them, and it's thanks to him they can follow La Donna's trace. He believes they will find her sooner or later, unless they abandon their hunt—'
'—or they are stopped.'
'Yes — not too much butter, please — in all likelihood, if the sorcerer were eliminated, La Donna would no longer be in any great danger.'
'Couldn't another sorcerer take over?'
'That's what I asked. But Teyssier affirms that it is not quite so simple. A bond has to be formed between the sorcerer and his prey, and such bonds are not easily woven.'
La Fargue nodded his head gravely and mulled things over while Agnes started on her second tartine. She respected his silence by chewing as quietly as possible.
'La Donna is hoping that we will rid her of this sorcerer.' La Fargue said.
'Who knows? It's a risky wager, if their trap is gradually closing about her as time passes. As Teyssier puts it, it's a little
like a net that the sorcerer tightens each day. Or rather, each night, because drakish sorcery is a nocturnal thing . . .'
'But La Donna was all alone, up until these last few days. Now she has at least twelve musketeers to accompany her wherever she goes. And that's not counting Leprat, who is worth six men alone. I think that, as far as her personal safety is concerned, her situation has improved.'
'So she invented a plot against the king to force us to protect her?'
'No, because she will have to offer a full account soon of what she has already affirmed. But I wager that she has played the card of this plot to her sole advantage ... I shall go and talk to her tomorrow.'
'And Arnaud de Laincourt? Wasn't he supposed to assist us in this affair? Weren't you supposed to meet him today?'
'According to Rochefort, he knows La Donna well and he could be useful to us. But he refused to give me an answer, even though I saw his eye light up with a strange spark when I mentioned La Donna—'
'I think he would make a fine recruit.'
'Perhaps.'
'And the cardinal thinks so, too . . .'
'True. But I am the sole judge of who does or does not wear this ring.'
La Fargue tapped the steel signet ring he wore on his finger, a ring which all the Blades possessed.
Agnes de Vaudreuil carried hers beneath her shirt, hanging on a chain around her neck.
Her hunger satiated, she stifled another yawn and stretched.
'Captain, with your permission I'm going to retire to my apartments and try to get some sleep in the few hours of cool night air that remain.'
'Of course. It's very late.'
The young woman rose.
'And thank you for the tartines,' she said with a smile.
A smile that La Fargue returned in a paternal fashion.
'But now that I think of it . . . ,' he suddenly recalled. 'Where did Marciac get to?'
'He went to gamble at La Souvange's mansion. And I believe he intended to visit Gabrielle tomorrow.' 'Ah . . . ! Good night, Agnes.' 'Until tomorrow, captain.'
At home, in his bed, Arnaud de Laincourt was trying to read by candlelight. But he was finding it impossible to concentrate. He finally gave up, turned his book over on his chest, laced his fingers together behind his neck, and uttered a long sigh.
Then, from the shadows which he haunted, the memory of the hurdy-gurdy player said: You're thinking about the offer from the duchesse de Chevreuse.
Yes.
The House of Chevreuse is one of the greatest households in France. Under its protection, there is no glory or honour that a man such as you cannot hope to attain after a few years . . . But I sense your trouble: for someone who has served the cardinal so well, joining the duchesse and her party would be almost lik^e going over to the enemy. And then there is La Fargue, isn't there . . . ?
Indeed.
What exactly did he want today?
He wanted my help in a delicate matter involving ha Donna.
That sounds rather like the cardinal, calling you bac\ to his service for a time.
No doubt . . .
There was a silence.
Then, just before Laincourt drove him from his thoughts, the hurdy-gurdy player told him: You will have to ma\e a choice, boy . . . And don't ta\e too long about it, or others will do the choosing for you.