u will be relieved."

"Within the hour."

"That will do excellently. Now for your news. Mine can keep for ten
minutes."

I told him what I had learned, and he listened without a word until the
end, listened seated on the coffer, with his chin resting on his knees,
his long nose drooping over his mouth, and his keen little eyes shining
like beads.

"A good day's work," he said when I had finished; "never better. Two
things are in my favour; one is that they have not got that grant yet;
the other, that the three seem to be dissatisfied with their angles of
the triangle. Each wants what the other has, like cats over their
bowls of milk; and there is an old proverb, too, about thieves falling
out, which you, no doubt, remember."

"I shall put the whole matter before the Queen, and beg her to place
Mademoiselle de Paradis in safety until this is ended."

"There is much water to flow under the bridges before this will end;
but it will be a good move. The Admiral too will know of the triangle
in three days; and, if I mistake not, that means that the Peace of
Vaucelles is waste-paper. It will stop the Spanish pensions, at any
rate for a time, and hit our vampires hard." And he chuckled as he
slipped down from the coffer on to his feet. "_Mon ami_," he went on
in his strange way, "to-night and to-morrow I shall be stirring this
porridge, and by noon to-morrow you will have certain news, and then we
can act. And now for your task."

"My task?"

"Yes. I knew the Queen was at the masque; she has gone there to see
Diane wearing her jewels. _That_ she will never forgive; and there
will be a bitter vengeance some day--mark my words! The Queen requires
the attendance of Mademoiselle de Paradis. She knows of this. It was
arranged before, and she is merely awaiting the summons in the cabinet
yonder, and you are to take her to the masque."

"But I have neither mask nor hood!"

"That is arranged also, and I have them ready for you. I will take
mademoiselle out now, and you will meet us after your relief on the
battlements outside the Philippine. You know the spot where the
stairway leads from the gallery?"

"Perfectly."

"Then _au revoir_!" With this he slipped back into the ante-room, and
five minutes after came forth, accompanied by a masked and hooded
figure that would have been unrecognisable except that I knew it was
Mademoiselle de Paradis.

As they came out we heard, far away in the distance, the c