ll see before long if I am acting for your good or not."

The carriage stopped.

"Helene, there is one in this house who will stand in the place of a
father to you. Let me go first, and I announce you."

"Ah!" cried Helene, trembling, she knew not why; "and you are going to
leave me here alone?"

"You have nothing to fear, Helene; besides, in a few minutes I will
return and fetch you."

The young girl held out her hand, which Gaston pressed to his lips; the
door opened; the carriage drove into the courtyard, where Gaston felt
that Helene ran no danger; the man who had come to the hotel to fetch
him opened the carriage door; Gaston again pressed Helene's hand,
alighted, ascended the steps, and entered the corridor, when his guide
left him as before.

Gaston, knowing that Helene waited his return, at once tapped at the
door of the room.

"Enter," said the voice of the false Spaniard.

Gaston knew the voice, entered, and with a calm face approached the Duc
d'Olivares.

"You are punctual, monsieur," said the latter; "we named noon, and it is
now striking."

"I am pressed for time, monseigneur; my undertaking weighs on me; I fear
to feel remorse. That astonishes and alarms you, does it not,
monseigneur? But reassure yourself; the remorse of a man such as I am
troubles no one but himself."

"In truth, monsieur," cried the regent, with a feeling of joy he could
not quite conceal, "I think you are drawing back."

"Not so, monseigneur; since fate chose me to strike the prince, I have
gone steadily forward, and shall do so till my mission is accomplished."

"Monsieur, I thought I detected some hesitation in your words; and words
are of weight in certain mouths, and under certain circumstances."

"Monsieur, in Bretagne we speak as we feel, but we also do as we
promise."

"Then you are resolved?"

"More than ever."

"Because, you see," replied the regent, "there is still time--the evil
is not yet done."

"The evil, you call it, monseigneur," said Gaston; "what shall I call it
then?"

"It is thus that I meant it," replied the regent; "the evil is for you,
since you feel remorse."

"It is not generous, monseigneur, to dwell on a confidence which I
should not have made to any person of less merit than yourself."

"And it is because I appreciate your worth, monsieur, that I tell you
there is yet time to draw back; that I ask if you have reflected--if you
repent having mixed yourself with all these--" the du