"My young friend, I think you must have been born under a .lucky star. Did you not say only last night that you would like to obtain a secretaryship to someone of importance?"
"Indeed I did, Monsieur," replied Roger with quick interest.
Maitre Leger picked up a letter from his desk. "Then I think I have here the very thing for you. One of our most distinguished clients writes to me asking if I will find for him an assistant secretary to undertake some special work. The qualifications required are a certain amount of legal experience and a good knowledge of Latin. Board and lodging will be provided and the remuneration offered is forty louis per annum. If you like the idea I feel confident that I can recommend you for such a position with a clear conscience."
"I'd like nothing better!" Roger exclaimed with a happy laugh. "But tell me, Monsieur; where am I to take up this new situation, and what is the name of my proposed master?"
"Ah, yes!" said the lawyer. "Did I not mention it? You will proceed to the Chateau de Becherel and make your service to Monseigneur le Marquis de Rochambeau."
CHAPTER XIV
THE BARRIER
FOUR days later Roger arrived at Becherel. The village lay about twenty miles to the north-west of Rennes and some five miles off the main road from the Breton capital to St. Malo. It consisted only of a single street of houses and a small stone church; half a mile beyond it, on the far side of a belt of trees, lay the chateau.
The building was E-shaped and had been designed by Francois Mansard about one hundred and forty years earlier. The two wings of the E formed an open courtyard, and the recessed central block contained the main entrance. It was of three storeys, the windows of the third being set in its high, steeply sloping slate roofs, from which projected an array of tall, symmetrically-placed chimneys. The long facade at its back gave on to a balustraded terrace below which there was a formal garden. Beyond this and to either side stretched wide parklands.
Roger would have liked to make his appearance cavorting gracefully on a mettlesome horse with a servant riding behind him, or at least, in a hired coach. But he could not afford such luxuries and he hoped that Athenais was not looking out of one of the windows as the one-horse cart, in which he and his heavy sea-chest had travelled from Rennes, slowly ambled past the front of the chateau and drew up at the stable entrance round its east side.
A servant found his old enemy. Monsieur Aldegonde, for him and the pompous major-domo showed considerable surprise on learning that Roger had come to take up his residence at the chateau; but he took the letter for the Marquis that Roger presented and twenty minutes later returned to give orders for his accommodation. A footman named Henri took him up to a bedroom on the third floor, under the Mansard roof, in the east wing, then led him down to a small chamber on the ground floor and told him to make himself comfortable there.
It was already evening and when he had sat there for some time the footman returned bringing him a meal on a tray. This was a sad disappointment, as Roger had thought that, as a private secretary, he would rank with the duenna and tutor, and feed with the family.
When he had eaten he expected to be sent for by the Marquis but two hours drifted by without his receiving any summons. Not knowing whether to wait up or go to bed, he pulled the bell and when the footman came asked to be taken to Aldegonde. Henri led him down several echoing passages and showed him into a room where the major-domo was sitting in a comfortable elbow chair, his wig and coat off, his feet up on a hassock and with a bottle of wine beside him on a small table.
It had already occurred to Roger that he might save himself many minor irritations during his stay at Becherel if he took the trouble to placate the vanity of this arrogant head-servant, so he bowed politely and said:
"Pardon me for disturbing you at this hour, Monsieur Aldegonde, but I wondered if you could give me any idea if Monseigneur is likely to send for me to-night?"
" 'Tis most improbable," replied the fat major-domo, without stirring from his chair, "since Monseigneur is five miles away dining with his neighbour, Monsieur de Montauban. Normally, no doubt Monseigneur's secretary, M. L'Abbé d'Heury would have given you your instructions, but he too, is from home, and not expected back from Dinan until Friday."
"Thank you, Monsieur," murmured Roger; then, flushing slightly he took the big fence that he thought it wise, however painful, to get over once and for all.
"Last time we met it was in circumstances most embarrassing to myself. As you will recall, M. le Comte Lucien had me thrown out of the house; but I wish you to know, Monsieur, that this was only owing to my ignorance of social observances in this part of the world. You see, I come from one of the German provinces where life is vastly different; but while I am here, I shall endeavour to observe Breton customs, and I should be grateful if I may seek your guidance when I find myself in any difficulty."
Aldegonde gave him a sharp sideways glance. "That is a wise decision, Monsieur Breuc, as it is a good thing that senior servants should have a mutual respect for one another. On the score of Count Lucien you need trouble yourself no further, as he left us for the Military School at Brienne over a year ago. For the rest we will do what we can to make you comfortable."
To Roger, this was most excellent news and, after some further, rather stilted, small talk, Henri was summoned to show him the way up the back stairs to his bedroom.
In the morning Henri called him and said that his petit dejeuner would be served in half an hour in the room where he had eaten the night before. When he had had it he sat there all through the morning. He would have liked to explore the house and grounds, but did not like to do so from fear that, at any moment, he might be sent for.
He was still too excited at the thought that he would soon see his adorable Athenais again to be unduly depressed by this neglect of him, and whiled away the hours by browsing through some books in an old press that occupied one wall of the room. It was not until an hour after the midday meal that a footman he had not seen before came to say that Monseigneur required his presence.
The servant led him across a great echoing hall with balustraded balconies and, opening one-half of a pair of high double doors, ushered him into a room at the back of the house. It was a splendidly proportioned library with tall windows looking out on to the garden. In front of a great carved mantel, his hands clasped behind his back, stood the Marquis.
He was a tall, well-built man of about fifty, and one glance at his strong, haughty features was enough to show how Athenais had come by her imperious manner and good looks. His coat and knee-breeches were of rich, dark-blue satin, his stockings were of silk and his hair was powdered, being brushed back from his broad forehead and having set rolls above the ears. A pale-blue ribbon of watered silk came from each of his shoulders down to his chest then, forming a double V, ascended again to be clasped at its centre by a great diamond cluster in the fine lace jabot at his throat. He was an imposing and resplendent figure.
Roger made a deep bow: "Your servant, Monseigneur."
The Marquis took a pinch of snuff and raised one eyebrow. "You seem very young for the work I have in mind. How old are you?"
"Nineteen, Mohseigneur," Roger lied, adding, as had long been his custom, two years to his age. "And I have worked in Maitre Leger's office for twenty-two months."
"He gives you a good recommendation for intelligence and states that your Latin is excellent. Do you consider that you are capable of deciphering a mass of old documents and making a competent precis of their contents?"