ve that the tide of it is flowing. All we need
now is a little patience; everything has become easy."

It was the hour of supper. Valerie was at table in her anteroom, and
"Battista" was in attendance. It was an added duty they had imposed upon
him, for, since her attempt to escape, mademoiselle's imprisonment had
been rendered more rigorous than ever. No servant of the chateau was
allowed past the door of the outer anteroom, now commonly spoken of as
the guardroom of the tower. Valerie dined daily in the salon with Madame
de Condillac and Marius, but her other meals were served her in her
own apartments. The servants who brought the meals from the kitchen
delivered them to "Battista" in the guardroom, and he it was who laid
the cloth and waited upon mademoiselle. At first this added duty had
irritated him more than all that he had so far endured. Had he Martin
Marie Rigobert de Garnache lived to discharge the duties of a lackey,
to bear dishes to a lady's table and to remain at hand to serve her?
The very thought had all but set him in a rage. But presently he grew
reconciled to it. It afforded him particular opportunities of being in
mademoiselle's presence and of conferring with her; and for the sake
of such an advantage he might well belittle the unsavoury part of the
affair.

A half-dozen candles burned in two gleaming silver sconces on the table;
in her tall-backed leather chair mademoiselle sat, and ate and drank but
little, while Garnache told her of the preparations he had made.

"If my luck but holds until Wednesday next," he concluded, "you may
count upon being well out of Condillac. Arsenio does not dream that you
come with us, so that even should he change his mind, at least we
have no cause to fear a betrayal. But he will not change his mind. The
prospect of fifty pistoles has rendered it immutable."

She looked up at him with eyes brightened by hope and by the
encouragement to count upon success which she gathered from his
optimism.

"You have contrived it marvellously well," she praised him. "If we
succeed--"

"Say when we succeed, mademoiselle," he laughingly corrected her.

"Very well, then--when we shall have succeeded in leaving Condillac,
whither am I to go?"

"Why, with me, to Paris, as was determined. My man awaits me at Voiron
with money and horses. No further obstacle shall rise to hamper us once
our backs are turned upon the ugly walls of Condillac. The Queen shall
make you welcome an