h the same door as her brother.

"Tudieu!" cried Bussy Leclerc; "I believe that is the man of the
family."

"Oh!" murmured Nicholas Poulain, "I wish I were out of all this."

CHAPTER XXXII.

BROTHER BORROMEE.

It was about ten o'clock in the evening when the deputies returned home.
Nicholas Poulain remained behind the others, reflecting on the
perplexing situation in which he found himself, and considering whether
he should report all that he had heard to M. d'Epernon, when, in the
middle of the Rue de la Pierre-au-Real, he ran right against a Jacobin
monk. They both began to swear, but, looking up, recognized each other.

"Brother Borromee!" cried Poulain.

"Nicholas Poulain!" exclaimed the monk.

"How are you?" asked Nicholas cautiously. "Where in the world were you
running to in such a hurry at this time of night? Is the priory on
fire?"

"No; I was going to the Duchesse de Montpensier's hotel, to speak to M.
de Mayneville."

"And what for?"

"Oh! it is very simple," said Borromee, seeking for a specious answer;
"the reverend prior was solicited by the duchesse to become her
confessor; he accepted at the time, but since then he has had scruples,
and has sent me to tell her not to rely upon him."

"Very good; but you are going away from the Hotel Guise."

"Exactly so; for I hear she is at the Hotel St. Denis, with her
brother."

"Quite true; but why do you deceive me? It is not the treasurer who is
sent with these sort of messages."

"But to a princess! Now do not detain me, or I shall miss her."

"She will return, you might have waited for her."

"True; but I shall not be sorry to see M. le Duc also."

"Oh! that is more like the truth, so go on. There is something new going
on," thought Nicholas; "but why should I try to discover what it is?"

Meanwhile the brother and sister had been conversing together, and had
settled that the king had no suspicions, and was therefore easy to
attack. They also agreed that the first thing to be done was to organize
the League more generally in the provinces, while the king abandoned his
brother, who was the only enemy they had to fear, so long as Henri of
Navarre occupied himself only with love affairs.

"Paris is all ready, but must wait," said Mayenne.

At this moment M. de Mayneville entered, and announced Borromee.

"Borromee! who is he?" cried the duke.

"The man whom you sent me from Nancy, when I asked for a man of action
and mind."

"