The Cardinal's Blades

"It is worth the price they have been offered. I think they are only hirelings in this business and soon they will deliver the goods to their employers. For my purposes, it will be too late to act once that occurs, and you will have lost a beautiful opportunity to give them a taste of their own medicine. Time is short."

"Allow me an hour to consider it."

The man and the half-blood exchanged a long glance, in which each delved into the heart of the other.

"One hour, no more," Saint-Lucq stipulated.

Once Saint-Lucq had gone, the Grand Coesre asked his archisuppot: "What did you make of that?"

Grangier took a moment to reflect.

"Two things," he said.

"Which are?"

"To begin with, it is in your interest to help the half-blood against the Corbins."

"And then?"

Rather than replying, the archisuppot turned toward the old woman who, he knew, had followed his chain of thought. Between nibbles of her wafer, her gaze still directed straight ahead like someone either blind or indifferent to the world, she said: "The following day, he will have to be killed."

25

Within the Cardinal's Guards, the troops received their pay every thirty-six days. This occasion demanded a roll call, which was also an opportunity to take a precise count of the cardinal's manpower. The guards lined up. Then the captain or his lieutenant walked past with a list in hand. Each man in turn called out his name, which was immediately ticked off the list. Each ticked name was then copied out onto a list which was certified and signed by the ranking officer. This document was given to the paymaster, and the guards would go—in good order—to receive their due at his office.

Today, it had been decided that roll call would take place at five in the afternoon, in the courtyard of the Palais-Cardinal, since His Eminence was currently residing there. Unless they were excused, all the guards not currently on duty thus found themselves collected here. They were impeccably turned out—boots polished, capes pressed, and weapons burnished. They waited to be called to attention and chattered amongst themselves, enjoying the idea of soon being a little richer. They might have been gentlemen in social rank, but most of them lacked fortunes of their own and lived on their pay. Happily, the cardinal paid well—fifty livres for a guard and up to four hundred for a captain. But above all, he paid punctually. Even the prestigious King's Musketeers were not remunerated so regularly.

Sitting by himself on a windowsill, Arnaud de Laincourt was reading when Neuvelle joined him. The young man, delighted to be taking part in his first roll call, was beaming.

"So, monsieur Laincourt, what will you do with your hundred and fifty-four livres?"

It was the pay grade of an ensign with the Cardinal's Guards.

"Pay my landlord, Neuvelle. And also my debts."

"You? You have debts? That's not like you. Don't take this the wrong way, but I can't imagine you burning through money. ..."

Laincourt smiled amiably without replying.

"Let's see," continued Neuvelle. "I have observed that you don't drink and you scorn the pleasures of the table. You don't gamble. You're not vain. Do you have a hidden mistress? Rumour has it that you give all you have to good works. But you can't run into debt through acts of charity, can you?"

"My debts are with a bookseller."

Neuvelle made a face while curling up the tips of his slender moustache, between his thumb and index finger.

"Myself, 1 read nothing but monsieur Renaudot's Gazette. You can always find a copy of it lying about somewhere. The news is sometimes a little dated, but I always find myself rather well informed."

Laincourt nodded, his blue eyes expressing nothing other than an amiable and patient reserve.

It had been two years since Theophraste Renaudot began to produce— with royal dispensation—a highly popular news journal which was hawked on the streets. Every week his Gazette comprised thirty-two pages and two slim volumes—one dedicated to "News from the East and the South," the other to "News from the West and the North." It also contained information pertaining to the French court. To this was added a monthly supplement which summarised and then enlarged upon the news from the preceding weeks. It was common knowledge that Cardinal Richelieu exerted tight control over everything which was printed in the Gazette. He had, on occasion, even taken up a pen himself and contributed to it under his own name. And, surprising as it seems, even the king did not scorn to comment on events which related closely to him in the Gazette.

"What are you reading at this hour?" asked Neuvelle to make conversation.

Laincourt offered him his book.

"Goodness!" said the young guard. "Is that Latin?"

"Italian," explained the officer, abstaining from further comment.

Like most gentleman of the sword, Neuvelle was almost illiterate. However, he could not hide his admiration of Laincourt's learning: "I've heard that in addition to Latin and Greek you understand Spanish and German. But Italian?"