g attention to his friend, "so they have foreseen
everything, even the place in which we are to hide. We shall go to
Lorraine, dear friend. In reality I should rather have had it Navarre,
for there I should have been with her, but Navarre is too far; Nancey
would be better; besides, once there, we should be only eighty leagues
from Paris. Have you any feeling of regret, Annibal, at leaving this
place?"

"Ah, no! the idea! Although I confess I am leaving everything that
belongs to me."

"Well, could we manage to take the worthy jailer with us instead of"--

"He would not go," said Coconnas, "he would lose too much. Think of it!
five hundred crowns from us, a reward from the government; promotion,
perhaps; how happy will be that fellow's life when I shall have killed
him! But what is the matter?"

"Nothing! An idea came to me."

"It is not a funny one, apparently, for you are frightfully pale."

"I was wondering why they should take us to the chapel."

"Why," said Coconnas, "to receive the sacrament. This is the time for
it, I think."

"But," said La Mole, "they take only those condemned to death or the
torture to the chapel."

"Oh!" said Coconnas, becoming somewhat pale in turn, "this deserves our
attention. Let us question the good man whom I am to split open. Here,
turnkey!"

"Did monsieur call?" asked the jailer, who had been keeping watch at the
top of the stairs.

"Yes; come here."

"Well?"

"It has been arranged that we are to escape from the chapel, has it
not?"

"Hush!" said the turnkey, looking round him in terror.

"Do not worry; no one can hear us."

"Yes, monsieur; it is from the chapel."

"They are to take us to the chapel, then?"

"Yes; that is the custom."

"The custom?"

"Yes; it is customary to allow every one condemned to death to pass the
night in the chapel."

Coconnas and La Mole shuddered and glanced at each other.

"You think we are condemned to death, then?"

"Certainly. You, too, must think so."

"Why should we think so?" asked La Mole.

"Certainly; otherwise you would not have arranged everything for your
escape."

"Do you know, there is reason in what he says!" said Coconnas to La
Mole.

"Yes; and what I know besides is that we are playing a close game,
apparently."

"But do you think I am risking nothing?" said the turnkey. "If in a
moment of excitement monsieur should make a mistake"--

"Well! by Heaven! I wish I were in your place," said Coconnas, sl