'You do me no service, M.de Pombal,' he continued, pettishly shaking off his friend's hand.

'By your leave, this gentleman and I will settle this matter.' 'That is better,' I said, nodding drily, while the Marquis stood aside, frowning and baffled.

'Permit me to lead the way.' Zaton's eating-house stands scarcely a hundred paces from St Jacques la Boucherie, and half the company went thither with us.

The evening was wet, the light in the streets was waning, the streets themselves were dirty and slippery.

There were few passers in the Rue St Antoine; and our party, which earlier in the day must have attracted notice and a crowd, crossed unmarked, and entered without interruption the paved triangle which lies immediately behind the church.