"For a.s.sa.s.sination."
"That is it," murmured Gaston; "he is a man to be trusted."
"If it be the same I mean, he lives in the Rue Bourdonnais, at the Muids d"Amour."
"The same."
"Then he is a safe man."
"That is well," said Gaston, "for he holds the lives of four brave gentlemen in his hands."
"Of whom you are one."
"No, I put myself aside, for it seems all is over with me."
"How all is over?"
"Yes, I am condemned."
"To what?"
"To death."
There was a moment"s silence.
"Impossible!" cried the Chevalier Dumesnil, at length.
"Why impossible?"
"Because, if I be not mistaken, your affair is attached to ours."
"It follows on it."
"Well?"
"Well."
"Our affairs prospering, yours cannot go wrong."
"And who says you are prospering?"
"Listen, for with you I will have no secrets."
"I am listening."
"Mademoiselle de Launay wrote me this yesterday. She was walking with Maison-Rouge, who, as you know, loves her, and at whom we both laugh, but who is useful to us. On pretext of illness, she asked, as you did, for a doctor; he told her that the prison doctor was at her orders. I must tell you that we have known this doctor intimately; his name is Herment.
"However, she did not hope to get much out of him, for he is a timid man; but when he entered the garden, where she was walking, and gave her a consultation in the open air, he said to her, "Hope!" In the mouth of any one else this would have been nothing--in his it was a vast deal; since _we_ are told to hope, _you_ have nothing to fear, as our affairs are intimately connected."
"However," said Gaston, "La Jonquiere seemed sure of what he said."
At this moment Pompadour knocked.
Gaston went to the hole, which, with the aid of his knife, he soon made practicable.
"Ask the Chevalier Dumesnil if he does not know anything more from Mademoiselle de Launay."
"About what?"
"One of us; I overheard some words between the governor and the major at my door--they were, "condemned to death."" Gaston shuddered.
"Be easy, marquis; I believe they spoke of me."
"Diable! that would not make me easy at all; firstly, because we have quickly become friends, and I should be grieved if anything were to happen to you; and, secondly, because what happened to you might well happen to us, our affairs being so similar."
"And you believe that Mademoiselle de Launay could remove your doubts."
"Yes, her windows look on the a.r.s.enal."
"Well."
"She would have seen if there were anything new going on there to-day."
"Ah! she is striking now!"
At that moment Mademoiselle de Launay struck two blows, which meant attention.
Gaston replied by one, which meant that he was listening.
Then he went to the window.
A minute after the string appeared with a letter.
Gaston took the letter, and went to the hole to Pompadour.
"Well?" said the marquis.
"A letter," replied Gaston.
"What does she say?"
"I cannot see, but I will send it to Dumesnil, who will read it."
"Make haste."
"Pardon," said Gaston, "I am as anxious as you;" and he ran to the chimney.
"The string," he cried.