ontinue. I am curious to know who was waiting for you in the Rue Saint
Antoine, opposite the Rue de Jouy."

"Two duennas, each with a handkerchief in her hand. They said we must
let them bandage our eyes. Your majesty may imagine that it was not a
difficult thing to have done. We bravely extended our necks. My guide
turned me to the left, my friend's guide turned him to the right, and we
were separated."

"And then?" continued Marguerite, who seemed determined to carry out the
investigation to the end.

"I do not know," said La Mole, "where his guide led my friend. To hell,
perhaps. As to myself, all I know is that mine led me to a place I
consider paradise."

"And whence, no doubt, your too great curiosity drove you?"

"Exactly, madame; you have the gift of divination. I waited,
impatiently, for daylight, that I might see where I was, when at
half-past four the same duenna returned, again bandaged my eyes, made me
promise not to try to raise my bandage, led me outside, accompanied me
for a hundred feet, made me again swear not to remove my bandage until I
had counted fifty more. I counted fifty, and found myself in the Rue
Saint Antoine, opposite the Rue de Jouy."

"And then"--

"Then, madame, I returned so happy that I paid no attention to the four
wretches, from whose clutches I had such difficulty in escaping. Now,
madame," continued La Mole, "in finding a piece of my plume here, my
heart trembled with joy, and I picked it up, promising myself to keep it
as a souvenir of this glad night. But in the midst of my happiness, one
thing troubles me; that is, what may have become of my companion."

"Has he not returned to the Louvre?"

"Alas! no, madame! I have searched everywhere, in the _Etoile d'Or_, on
the tennis courts, and in many other respectable places; but no Annibal,
and no Coconnas"--

As La Mole uttered these words he accompanied them with a gesture of
hopelessness, extended his arms and opened his cloak, underneath which
at various points his doublet was seen, the lining of which showed
through the rents like so many elegant slashes.

"Why, you were riddled through and through!" exclaimed Marguerite.

"Riddled is the word!" said La Mole, who was not sorry to turn to his
account the danger he had run. "See, madame, see!"

"Why did you not change your doublet at the Louvre, since you returned
there?" asked the queen.

"Ah!" said La Mole, "because some one was in my room."

"Some one in your r