ll up his own.

At length they must part. They exchanged one last lingering glance, and
the duke pressed Gaston's hand.

How strange was this sympathy between two men, one of whom had come so
far for the sole purpose of killing the other.

The door closed, and Gaston sank down on a seat, utterly broken and
exhausted.

In ten minutes the governor entered; he came to conduct Gaston back to
his own room.

Gaston followed him silently, and when asked if there was anything he
wanted, he mournfully shook his head.

At night Mademoiselle de Launay signaled that she had something to
communicate.

Gaston opened the window, and received a letter inclosing another.

The first was for himself.

He read:

"DEAR NEIGHBOR--The coverlid was not so contemptible as
I supposed; it contained a paper on which was written
the word already spoken by Herment--'Hope!' It also
inclosed this letter for M. de Richelieu; send it to
Dumesnil, who will pass it to the duke.

"Your servant,

"DE LAUNAY."

"Alas!" thought Gaston, "they will miss me when I am gone," and he
called Dumesnil, to whom he passed the letter.

CHAPTER XXXI.

STATE AFFAIRS AND FAMILY AFFAIRS.

On leaving the Bastille, the duke took Helene home, promising to come
and see her as usual in the evening; a promise which Helene would have
estimated all the more highly if she had known that his highness had a
bal masque at Monceaux.

On re-entering the Palais Royal the duke asked for Dubois, and was told
he was in his study, working. The duke entered without allowing himself
to be announced. Dubois was so busy that he did not hear the duke, who
advanced and looked over his shoulder, to see what was occupying him so
intently.

He was writing down names, with notes by the side of each.

"What are you doing there, abbe?" asked the regent.

"Ah! monseigneur, it is you; pardon; I did not hear you."

"I asked what you were doing?"

"Signing the burial tickets for our Breton friends."

"But their fate is not yet decided, and the sentence of the
commission--"

"I know it," said Dubois.

"Is it given, then?"

"No, but I dictated it before they went."

"Do you know that your conduct is odious?"

"Truly, monseigneur, you are insupportable. Manage your family affairs,
and leave state affairs to me."

"Family affairs!"

"Ah! as to those, I hope you are satisfied with me, or you would indeed
be difficult to please.