, do you mean to go with me?"

"I do not like standing still, by Heaven! I have killed only three or
four as yet, and when I get cold my shoulder pains me. Forward!
forward!"

"Captain," said Maurevel to the commander of the troop, "give me three
men, and go and despatch your parson with the rest."

Three Swiss stepped forward and joined Maurevel. Nevertheless, the two
companies proceeded side by side till they reached the top of the Rue
Tirechappe; there the light horse and the Swiss took the Rue de la
Tonnellerie, while Maurevel, Coconnas, La Huriere, and his three men
were proceeding down the Rue Trousse Vache and entering the Rue Sainte
Avoye. "Where the devil are you taking us?" asked Coconnas, who was
beginning to be bored by this long march from which he could see no
results.

"I am taking you on an expedition at once brilliant and useful. Next to
the admiral, next to Teligny, next to the Huguenot princes, I could
offer you nothing better. So have patience, our business calls us to the
Rue du Chaume, and we shall be there in a second."

"Tell me," said Coconnas, "is not the Rue du Chaume near the Temple?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because an old creditor of our family lives there, one Lambert
Mercandon, to whom my father wished me to hand over a hundred rose
nobles I have in my pocket for that purpose."

"Well," replied Maurevel, "this is a good opportunity for paying it.
This is the day for settling old accounts. Is your Mercandon a
Huguenot?"

"Oho, I understand!" said Coconnas; "he must be"--

"Hush! here we are."

"What is that large hotel, with its entrance in the street?"

"The Hotel de Guise."

"Truly," returned Coconnas, "I should not have failed to come here, as I
am under the patronage of the great Henry. But, by Heaven! all is so
very quiet in this quarter, we scarcely hear any firing, and we might
fancy ourselves in the country. The devil fetch me but every one is
asleep!"

And indeed the Hotel de Guise seemed as quiet as in ordinary times. All
the windows were closed, and a solitary light was burning behind the
blind of the principal window over the entrance which had attracted
Coconnas's attention as soon as they entered the street.

Just beyond the Hotel de Guise, in other words, at the corner of the Rue
du Petit Chantier and the Rue des Quatre Fils, Maurevel halted.

"Here is the house of the man we want," said he.

"Of the man you want--that is to say"--observed La Huriere.

"Since y