t for me?"

The duke went to the door and struck three blows: Maison-Rouge appeared.

"Ask M. de Launay, from me," said the duke, "whether the young girl who
is at the door in my carriage may come in? Her visit, as he knows, is
authorized. You will have the kindness to conduct her here."

"What! monseigneur; Helene is here--at the door?"

"Were you not promised that she should come?"

"Yes; but seeing you alone, I lost all hope."

"I wished to see you first, thinking that you might have many things to
say which you would not wish her to hear; for I know all."

"You know all! What do you mean?"

"I know that you were taken to the arsenal yesterday!"

"Monseigneur!"

"I know that you found D'Argenson there, and that he read your
sentence."

"Mon Dieu!"

"I know that you are condemned to death, and that you were bound not to
speak of it to any one."

"Oh, monseigneur, silence! One word of this would kill Helene."

"Be easy, monsieur; but let us see; is there no way of avoiding this
execution?"

"Days would be necessary to prepare and execute a plan of escape, and I
scarcely have hours."

"I do not speak of escape; I ask if you have no excuse to give for your
crime?"

"My crime!" cried Gaston, astonished to hear his accomplice use such a
word.

"Yes," replied the duke: "you know that men stigmatize murder with this
name under all circumstances; but posterity often judges differently,
and sometimes calls it a grand deed."

"I have no excuse to give, monseigneur, except that I believe the death
of the regent to be necessary to the salvation of France."

"Yes," replied the duke, smiling; "but you will see that that is
scarcely the excuse to offer to Philippe d'Orleans. I wanted something
personal. Political enemy of the regent's as I am, I know that he is not
considered a bad man. Men say that he is merciful, and that there have
been no executions during his reign."

"You forget Count Horn."

"He was an assassin."

"And what am I?"

"There is this difference: Count Horn murdered in order to rob."

"I neither can nor will ask anything of the regent," said Gaston.

"Not you, personally, I know; but your friends. If they had a plausible
pretense to offer, perhaps the prince himself might pardon you."

"I have none, monseigneur."

"It is impossible, monsieur--permit me to say so. A resolution such as
you have taken must proceed from a sentiment of some kind--either of
hatred or vengeance. And