"
"My lord need have no fears," said Merindol enthusiastically, being now
more at his ease. "Jacquemin Lampourde is a hero, a wonder, as everybody
will tell your lordship. He is more valiant than Achilles, or the great
Alexander. He is not spotless certainly, like the Chevalier Bayard, but
he is fearless."
Picard, who had been hovering about for a few minutes in an uneasy way,
now seeing that his master was in a better humour, approached and
told him that a very odd-looking man was below, who asked to see him
immediately on most important business.
"You may bring him in," said the duke, "but just warn him, Picard, that
if he dares to intrude upon me for any trifling matter, I'll have him
skinned alive before I let him go."
Mirindol was just about leaving the room, when the entrance of the
newcomer rooted him to the spot; he was so astonished and alarmed that
he could not move hand or foot. And no wonder, for it was no other
than the hero whose name he had just spoken--Jacquemin Lampourde in
person--and the bare fact of his having dared to penetrate so boldly
into the dread presence of that high and mighty seignior, the Duke of
Vallombreuse, ignoring entirely the agent through whom his services had
been engaged, showed of itself that something very extraordinary must
have taken place.
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