Free The She Wolf of France by Maurice Druon Page A

less concerned now with the exterior world than with the disorder of his old and exhausted body which was nearing its end.
    `Friend Tolomei,' cried Robert of Artois, taking off his gloves and throwing them, a pool of blood, on to a table. `Friend Tolomei, I'm bringing you another fortune!'
    The banker waved his visitors into chairs.
    `How much is it going to cost me, Monseigneur?' he replied.
    `Come on, come on, banker, said Robert of Artois, `have I ever made you make a bad investment?'
    `Never, Monseigneur, never, I admit it. Payment has sometimes been a little overdue, but in the end, since God has vouchsafed me a fairly long-life, I have been able to gather in the fruits of the confidence with which you have honoured me. But just think, Monseigneur, what would have happened had I died, as so many people do, at fifty? Thanks to you, I should have died ruined.'
    This sally amused Robert of Artois, whose smile, spreading widely across his face, revealed strong but very dirty teeth.
    `Have you ever incurred a loss through me?' he said. `Do you remember how I once made you wager on Monseigneur of Valois against Enguerrand de Marigny? And look where Charles of Valois is today, and how Marigny ended his wicked life. And haven't I paid you back every penny you advanced me for my war in Artois? I'm grateful to you; banker, yes, I'm grateful to you for having always supported me even when I was in my greatest difficulties. For I was overwhelmed with debts at one time,' he went on, turning to the gentleman in black. `I had no lands but the Count of Beaumont-le-Roger, and the Treasury refused to pay me its revenues. My ami able cousin, Philippe the Long may God keep his soul in some hell or other! - had imprisoned me in the Chatelet. Well, this banker here, my lord, this usurer, this greatest rogue of all the rogues Lombardy has ever produced, this man who would take a child in its mother's womb in pawn, never abandoned me. And that's why, as long as he liv es, and he'll live a long time y et. ..'
    Messer Tolomei put out the first and little fingers of his right hand and touched the wood of the table.
    `Oh, yes, you will, Master Usurer, you'll live a long time yet, I'm telling you ... Well, that's why this man will always be a friend of mine, and that's on the faith of Robert of Artois. And he made no mistake for today, I'm the son-in-law of Monseigneur of Valois; I sit in the King's Council; and I'm in full possession of the revenues of my county. Messer Tolomei, the great lord I've brought to see you is Lord Mortimer, Baron of Wigmore.'
    `Who escaped from the Tower of London on August the first,' said the banker, making an inclination of the head. `A great honour, my lord, a great honour.'
    `What do you mean?' Artois cried. `Do you know about it?'
    `Monseigneur,' said Tolomei, `the Baron of Wigmore is too important a personage for us not to have been informed. I even know, my lord, that when King Edward issued the order to his coastal sheriffs to find you and arrest you, you were already embarked and out of reach of English justice. I know that when he had all the ships sailing for Ireland searched, and seized every courier landing from France, your friends not only in London but in all England already knew of your safe arrival at the house of your cousin-german, Messire Jean de Fiennes, in Picardy. And I know, too, that when King Edward ordered Messire de Fiennes to deliver you up, threatening to confiscate all his lands beyond the Channel, that lord, who is a great supporter and partisan of Monseigneur Robert, immediately sent you on to him. I cannot say that I was expecting you, my lord, but I was hoping you would come; for Monseigneur of Artois is, as he has told you, faithful to me and always thinks of me when a friend of his is in difficulties.'
    Roger Mortimer had listened to the banker with great attention.
    `I see, Messer,' he replied, `that the Lombards have good spies at the Court of England.'
    `They are at your service,