times: once at midnight, once at one o'clock, and
once at two."

"Very well."

"But who will make him take it?"

"I will."

"You?"

"Yes."

"You give me your word?"

"On my honor."

"And if any physician should attempt to abstract the slightest portion
to analyze it and discover what its ingredients are"--

"I will spill it to the last drop."

"This also on your honor?"

"I swear it!"

"Whom shall I send you this potion by?"

"Any one you please."

"But my messenger"--

"Well?"

"How will he get to you?"

"That is easily managed. He will say that he comes from Monsieur Rene,
the perfumer."

"That Florentine who lives on the Pont Saint Michel?"

"Exactly. He is allowed to enter the Louvre at any hour, day or night."

The man smiled.

"In fact," said he, "the queen mother at least owes him that much. It is
understood, then; he will come from Maitre Rene, the perfumer. I may
surely use his name for once: he has often enough practised my
profession without having taken his degree either."

"Then," said La Mole, "I may rely on you."

"You may."

"And about the payment?"

"Oh, we will arrange about that with the gentleman himself when he is
well again."

"You may be quite easy on that score, for I am sure he will pay you
generously."

"I believe you. And yet," he added with a strange smile, "as the people
with whom I have to do are not wont to be grateful, I should not be
surprised if when he is on his legs again he should forget or at least
not think to give a single thought to me."

"All right," said La Mole, smiling also, "in that case I should have to
jog his memory."

"Very well, we'll leave it so. In two hours you will receive the
medicine."

"Au revoir!"

"You said"--

"Au revoir."

The man smiled.

"It is always my custom," he added, "to say adieu! So adieu, Monsieur de
la Mole. In two hours you will have the potion. You understand, it must
be given at midnight--in three doses--at intervals of an hour."

So saying he took his departure, and La Mole was left alone with
Coconnas.

Coconnas had heard the whole conversation, but understood nothing of it;
a senseless babble of words, a senseless jangling of phrases, was all
that came to him. Of the whole interview he remembered nothing except
the word "midnight."

He continued to watch La Mole, who remained in the room, pacing
thoughtfully up and down.

The unknown doctor kept his word, and at the appointed time se