I stopped within half a dozen paces of it, and climbed on to
the step of a coach that stood there. Thence I could look straight into
the room, whilst the darkness hid me from the eyes of those I watched.
Three men there were; Montr?sor, the sergeant of his troop, and a tall man
dressed in black, and wearing a black silk mask. This I concluded to be
St. Auban, despite the profusion of fair locks that fell upon his
shoulders, concealing--I rightly guessed--his natural hair, which was as
black as my own. It was a cunning addition to his disguise, and one well
calculated to lead people on to the wrong scent hereafter.
Presently, as I watched them, St. Auban spoke, and his voice was that of a
man whose gums are toothless, or else whose nether lip is drawn in over his
teeth whilst he speaks. Here again the dissimulation was as effective as
it was simple.
"So; that is concluded," were the words that reached me. "To-morrow we
will install our men at the ch?teau, for while we remain here it is
preposterous to lodge them at an inn. On the following day I hope that we
may be able to set out again.
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