the personal medium of the King, he revealed
the whole transaction to M. de Barrault; representing that the traitor
being under the roof of the minister by whom they had been despatched,
and entirely in his confidence, must already be apprized of his danger,
as well as fully prepared to avert it by the destruction of his
betrayer; and accordingly he declared that, in order to save his life,
he must at once get into the saddle, and endeavour to distance the
pursuit which could not fail to be made with a view to seize his person.

This reasoning was so valid that the ambassador not only consented to
his immediate departure, but also caused him to be accompanied by his
own secretary, M. Descartes, by whom he was to be introduced to the
sovereign. The precaution proved salutary, as no later than the
following morning the officers of the law were sent to the house of
Leyre, and being unable to find him, forthwith mounted in their turn and
took the road to France. Fortunately for the fugitives they had,
however, already travelled a considerable distance; and although hotly
pursued, they were enabled to reach Bayonne without impediment, whence
they proceeded to Fontainebleau to report their arrival to the King.

Before they reached their destination, they encountered the Duc de
Villeroy, who was on his way to his chateau of Juvisy, and to whom
Descartes considered it expedient to declare their errand, without
concealing the name of the culprit whom they were about to accuse. The
Duke listened incredulously; and when the travellers offered, should it
meet with his approbation, to return at once to Paris and arrest his
secretary, in order that he might himself deliver him up to the monarch,
he declined to profit by the proposal, desiring them to fulfil their
mission as the service of the King required; and adding, that he should
shortly join them at Fontainebleau, where he was to be met on the morrow
by the accused party, when the necessary steps for ascertaining the
truth of the statement might be at once taken; but that until he had
obtained an audience of the monarch, and ascertained his pleasure, all
coercive measures would be premature.

With this unsatisfactory reply Leyre and his companion were fain to
content themselves; and having, as they were desired to do, delivered
into the hands of the Duke the detailed despatch of M. de Barrault with
which they had been entrusted, they saw him calmly resume his way to
Juvisy, wh