away, taking with him the ring, which was a beautiful
sapphire, given him by Madame de Nevers to remind him of the color of
her eyes.

"Now for the other," he said as he went out.

They crossed an empty chamber, and the game of three doors, six locks,
and nine bolts began anew.

The last door open, a sigh was the first sound that greeted the
visitors.

The apartment was more gloomy looking than the one Monsieur de Beaulieu
had just left. Four long narrow windows admitted a feeble light into
this mournful abode. Before these, iron bars were crossed in such a way
that the eye of the prisoner was arrested by a dark line and prevented
from catching even a glimpse of the sky. From each corner of the room
pointed arches met in the middle of the ceiling, where they spread out
in Gothic fashion.

La Mole was seated in a corner, and, in spite of the entrance of the
visitors, appeared to have heard nothing.

The governor paused on the threshold and looked for an instant at the
prisoner, who sat motionless, his head in his hands.

"Good evening, Monsieur de la Mole," said Beaulieu.

The young man slowly raised his head.

"Good evening, monsieur," said he.

"Monsieur," continued the governor, "I have come to search you."

"That is useless," said La Mole. "I will give you all I have."

"What have you?"

"About three hundred crowns, these jewels, and rings."

"Give them to me, monsieur," said the governor.

"Here they are."

La Mole turned out his pockets, took the rings from his finger, and the
clasp from his hat.

"Have you nothing more?"

"Not that I know of."

"And that silk cord around your neck, what may that be?" asked the
governor.

"Monsieur, that is not a jewel, but a relic."

"Give it to me."

"What! you demand it?"

"I am ordered to leave you only your clothes, and a relic is not an
article of clothing."

La Mole made a gesture of anger, which, in the midst of the dignified
and pained calm which distinguished him, seemed to impress the men
accustomed to stormy emotions.

But he immediately recovered his self-possession.

"Very well, monsieur," said he, "you shall see what you ask for."

Then, turning as if to approach the light, he unfastened the pretended
relic, which was none other than a medallion containing a portrait,
which he drew out and raised to his lips. Having kissed it several
times, he suddenly pretended to drop it as by accident, and placing the
heel of his boot on it h