"Well!" exclaimed the duchess in a bold tone at once innocent and
sublime, which sums up the age and the woman, "well, I love Annibal!"

"That is true," said Marguerite, smiling and blushing at the same time,
"you love him a very great deal, too much, perhaps."

And yet she pressed her friend's hand.

"So," continued Henriette, "thanks to our three diamonds, the three
hundred thousand crowns and the man are ready."

"The man? What man?"

"The man to be killed; you forget a man must be killed."

"Have you found the necessary man?"

"Yes."

"At the same price?" asked Marguerite, smiling.

"At the same price I could have found a thousand," replied Henriette,
"no, no, for five hundred crowns."

"For five hundred crowns you have found a man who has consented to be
killed?"

"What can you expect? It is necessary for us to live."

"My dear friend, I do not understand you. Come, explain. Enigmas require
too much time to guess at such a moment as this."

"Well, listen; the jailer to whom the keeping of La Mole and Coconnas is
entrusted is an old soldier who knows what a wound is. He would like to
help save our friends, but he does not want to lose his place. A blow of
a dagger skilfully aimed will end the affair. We will give him a reward
and the kingdom, indemnification. In this way the brave man will receive
money from both parties and will renew the fable of the pelican."

"But," said Marguerite, "a thrust of a dagger"--

"Do not worry; Annibal will give it."

"Well," said Marguerite, "he has given as many as three blows of his
sword to La Mole, and La Mole is not dead; there is therefore every
reason to hope."

"Wicked woman! You deserve to have me stop."

"Oh! no, no; on the contrary, tell me the rest, I beg you. How are we to
save them; come!"

"Well, this is the plan. The chapel is the only place in the castle
where women can enter who are not prisoners. We are to be hidden behind
the altar. Under the altar cloth they will find two daggers. The door of
the vestry-room will be opened beforehand. Coconnas will strike the
jailer, who will fall and pretend to be dead; we appear; each of us
throws a cloak over the shoulders of her friend; we run with them
through the small doors of the vestry-room, and as we have the password
we can leave without hindrance."

"And once out?"

"Two horses will be waiting at the door; the men will spring on them,
leave France, and reach Lorraine, whence now and then