had need of him, to call upon Bavois, corporal of
grenadiers, company first, stationed at the citadel.

The clocks were striking ten when Mme. d'Escorval and Marie-Anne
alighted at the Hotel de France.

They found Maurice in despair, and even the abbe disheartened. Since
Maurice had written to them, events had progressed with fearful
rapidity.

They knew now the orders which had been forwarded by signals from the
citadel. These orders had been printed and affixed to the walls. The
signals had said:

"Montaignac must be regarded as in a state of siege. The military
authorities have been granted discretionary power. A military commission
will exercise jurisdiction instead of, and in place of, the courts. Let
peaceable citizens take courage; let the evil-disposed tremble! As for
the rabble, the sword of the law is about to strike!"

Only six lines in all--but each word was a menace.

That which filled the abbe's heart with dismay was the substitution of a
military commission for a court-martial.

This upset all his plans, made all his precautions useless, and
destroyed his hopes of saving his friend.

A court-martial was, of course, hasty and often unjust in its decisions;
but still, it observed some of the forms of procedure practised in
judicial tribunals. It still preserved something of the solemnity of
legal justice, which desires to be enlightened before it condemns.

A military commission would infallibly neglect all legal forms; and
summarily condemn and punish the accused parties, as in time of war a
spy is tried and punished.

"What!" exclaimed Maurice, "they dare to condemn without investigating,
without listening to testimony, without allowing the accused time to
prepare any defence?"

The abbe was silent. This exceeded his most sinister apprehensions. Now,
he believed anything possible.

Maurice spoke of an investigation. It had commenced that day, and it was
still going on by the light of the jailer's lantern.

That is to say, the Duc de Sairmeuse and the Marquis de Courtornieu were
passing the prisoners in review.

They numbered three hundred, and the duke and his companion had
decided to summon before the commission thirty of the most dangerous
conspirators.

How were they to select them? By what method could they discover the
extent of each prisoner's guilt? It would have been difficult for them
to explain.

They went from one to another, asking any question that entered their
min