him come and play with me that afternoon。
〃My lord；〃 he said bluntly； 〃I had rather not。 For if I defeat your excellency； I may defeat also your good intentions。 And if I permit you to win； I shall seem to be an impostor。〃
Somewhat surprised by his forethought； I reassured him on this point； and his game； which proved to be one of remarkable strength and finesse； and fairly on an equality； as it seemed to me； with that of the best French players； persuaded me that at any rate the first part of his tale was true。 Accordingly I made him a present； and； in addition； bade Maignan pay him a small allowance for a while。 For this he showed his gratitude by attaching himself to my household； and as it was the fashion at that time to keep tennis masters of this class； I found it occasionally amusing to pit him against other well…known players。 In the course of a few weeks he gained me great credit； and though I am not so foolish as to attach importance to such trifles； but； on the contrary； think an old soldier who stood fast at Coutras； or even a clerk who has served the King honestlyif such a prodigy there bemore deserving than these professors； still I do not err on the other side； but count him a fool who； because he has solid cause to value himself； disdains the ECLAT which the attachment of such persons gives him in the public eye。
The man went by the name of Diego the Spaniard； and his story； which gradually became known； together with the excellence of his play； made him so much the fashion that more than one tried to detach him from my service。 The King heard of him； and would have played with him； but the sudden death of Madame de Beaufort； which occurred soon afterwards； threw the Court into mourning； and for a while； in pursuing the negotiations for the King's divorce； and in conducting a correspondence of the most delicate character with the Queen； I lost sight of my playerinsomuch； that I scarcely knew whether he still formed part of my suite or not。
My attention was presently recalled to him； however； in a rather remarkable manner。 One morning Don Antonio d'Evora； Secretary to the Spanish Embassy； and a brother of that d'Evora who commanded the Spanish Foot at Paris in '94； called on me at the Arsenal； to which I had just removed； and desired to see me。 I bade them admit him； but as my secretaries were at the time at work with me； I left them and received him in the gardensupposing that he wished to speak to me； about the affair of Saluces； and preferring； like the King my master； to talk of matters of State in the open air。
However； I was mistaken。 Don Antonio said nothing about Savoy； but after the usual preliminaries； which a Spaniard never omits； plunged into a long harangue upon the comity which； now that peace reigned； should exist between the two nations。 For some time I waited patiently to learn what he would be at； but he seemed to be lost in his own eloquence； and at last I took him up。
〃All this is very well； M。 d'Evora；〃 I said。 〃I quite agree with you that the times are changed； that amity is not the same thing as war； and that a grain of sand in the eye is unpleasant；〃 for he had said all of these things。 〃But I fail； being a plain man and no diplomatist； to see what you want me to do。〃
〃It is the smallest matter；〃 he said； waving his hand gracefully。
〃And yet；〃 I retorted； 〃you seem to find a difficulty in coming at it。〃
〃As you do at the grain of sand in the eye；〃 he answered wittily。 〃After all； however； in what you say； M。 de Rosny； there is some truth。 I feel that I am； on delicate ground； but I am sure that you will pardon me。 You have in your suite a certain Diego。〃
〃It may be so；〃 I said； masking my surprise； and affecting indifference。
〃A tennis…player。〃
I shrugged my shoulders。 〃The man is known；〃 I said。
〃A Protestant？〃
〃It is not impossible。〃
〃And a subject of the King； my master。 A man；〃 Don Antonio continued； with increasing stiffness； 〃in fine； M。 de Rosny； who； after committing various offences； murdered his comrade in prison； and； escaping in his clothes； took refuge in this country。〃
I shrugged my shoulders again。
〃I have no knowledge of that；〃 I said coldly。
〃No； or I am sure that you would not harbour the fellow；〃 the secretary answered。 〃Now that you do know it； however； I take it for granted that you will dismiss him？ If you held any but the great place you do hold； M。 de Rosny； it would be different； but all the world see who follow you； and this man's presence stains you； and is an offence to my master。〃
〃Softly； softly； M。 d'Evora；〃 I said； with a little warmth。 〃You go too fast。 Let me tell you first； that； for my honour； I take care of it myself； and； secondly； for your master； I do not allow even my own to meddle with my household。〃
〃But； my lord；〃 he said pompously； 〃the King of Spain〃
〃Is the King of Spain；〃 I answered； cutting him short without much ceremony。 〃But in the Arsenal of Paris； which； for the present； is my house； I am king。 And I brook no usurpers； M。 d'Evora。〃
He assented to that with a constrained smile。
〃Then I can say no more；〃 he answered。 〃I have warned you that the man is a rogue。 If you will still entertain him； I wash my hands of it。 But I fear the consequences； M。 de Rosny； and； frankly； it lessens my opinion of your sagacity。〃
Thereat I bowed in my turn； and after the exchange of some civilities he took his leave。 Considering his application after he was gone； I confess that I found nothing surprising in it； and had it come from a man whom I held in greater respect I might have complied with it in an indirect fashion。 But though it might have led me under some circumstances to discard Diego； naturally； since it confirmed his story in some points； and proved besides that he was not a persona grata at the Spanish Embassy； it did not lead me to value him less。 And as within the week he was so fortunate as to defeat La Varenne's champion in a great match at the Louvre； and won also a match； at M。 de Montpensier's which put fifty crowns into my pocket； I thought less and less of d'Evora's remonstrance； until the king's return put it quite out of my head。 The entanglement with Mademoiselle d'Entragues； which was destined to be the most fatal of all Henry's attachments； was then in the forming； and the king plunged into every kind of amusement with fresh zest。 The very day after his return he matched his marker； a rogue； but an excellent player； against my man； and laid me twenty crowns on the event； the match to be played on the following Saturday after a dinner which M。 de Lude was giving in honour of the lady。
On the Thursday； however； who should come in to me； while I was sitting alone after supper； but Maignan： who； closing the door and dismissing the page who waited there； told me with a very long face and an air of vast importance that he had discovered something。
〃Something？〃 I said； being inclined at the moment to be merry。 〃What？ A plot to reduce your perquisites； you rascal？〃
〃No； my lord；〃 he answered stoutly。 〃But to tap your excellency's secrets。〃
〃Indeed；〃 I said pleasantly； not believing a word of it。 〃And who is to hang？〃
〃The Spaniard；〃 he answered in a low voice。
That sobered me； by putting the matter in a new light； and I sat a moment looking at him and reviewing Diego's story； which assumed on the instant an aspect so uncommon and almost incredible that I wondered how I had ever allowed it to pass。 But when I proceeded from this to the substance of Maignan's charge I found an IMPASSE in this direction also； and I smiled。 〃So it is Diego； is it？〃 I said。 〃You think that he is a spy？〃
Maignan nodded。
〃Then； tell me；〃 I asked； 〃what opportunity has he of learning more than all the world knows？ He has not been in my apartments since I engaged him。 He has seen none of my papers。 The youngest footboy could tell all he has learned。〃
〃True； my lord；〃 Maignan answered slowly； 〃but〃
〃Well？〃
〃I saw him this evening； talking with a Priest in the Rue Petits Pois； and he calls himself a Protestant。〃
〃Ah！ You are sure that the man was a priest？〃
〃I know him。〃
〃For whom？〃
〃One of the chaplains at the Spanish Embassy。〃
It was natural that after this I should take a more serious view of the matter； and I did so。 But my former difficulty still remained； for； assuming this to be a cunning plot； and d'Evora's application to me a ruse to throw me off my guard； I could not see where their advantage lay； since the Spaniard's occupation was not of a nature to give him the entry to my confidence or the chance of ransacking my papers。 I questioned Maignan further； therefore； but without result。 He had seen the two together in a secret kind of way； viewing them himself from the window of a house where he had an assignation。 He had not been near enough to hear what they said； but he was sure that no quarrel took place between them； and equally certain that it was no chance meeting that brought them together。
Infected by his assurance； I could still see no issue； and no object in such an intrigue。 And in the end I contented myself with bidding him watch the Spaniard closely； and report to me the following evening； adding that he might confide the matter to La Trape； who was a supple fellow； and of the two the easier companion。
Accordingly； next evening Maignan again appeared； this time with a face even longer； so that at first I supposed him to have discovered a plot worse than Chastel's； but it turned out that he had discovered nothing。 The Spaniard had spent the morning in lounging and the afternoon in practice at the Louvre； and from first to last had conducted himself in the most innocent manner possible。 On this I rallied Maignan on his mare's nest； and was inclined to dismiss the matter as such； still； before doing so； I thought I would see La Trape； and dismissing Maignan I sent for him。
When he was come； 〃Well；〃 I said； 〃have you anything to say？〃
〃One little thing only； your excellency；〃 he answered slyly； 〃and of no importance。〃
〃But you did not tell it to Maignan？〃
〃No； my Lord；〃 he replied； his face relaxing in a cunning smile。
〃Well？〃
〃Once to…day I saw Diego where he should not have