s."

"It shall be as you desire, monsieur."

Gaston and La Jonquiere exchanged a glance, and the chevalier was taken
back to his chamber.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE SENTENCE.

It was half-past six, and quite dark; the chevalier's first act on being
left in his room was to run to the chimney.

"Chevalier," said he.

Dumesnil replied.

"I have paid my visit."

"Well?"

"I have found an acquaintance, if not a friend."

"A new prisoner."

"Of the same date as myself."

"His name?"

"Captain la Jonquiere."

"What?"

"Do you know him?"

"Yes!"

"Then do me a favor: what is he?"

"Oh, an enemy of the regent's."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite; he was in our conspiracy, and only withdrew because we preferred
abduction to assassination."

"Then he was--?"

"For assassination."

"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 t