of the success of his ruse. But now he knew only too well
what those who had witnessed his apparent weakness would say of him.

"This Chanlouineau is only a miserable coward after all," he fancied he
could hear them saying among themselves. "We have seen him on his knees,
begging for mercy, and promising to betray his accomplices."

The thought that his memory would be tarnished with charges of cowardice
and treason drove him nearly mad.

He actually longed for death, since it would give him an opportunity to
retrieve his honor.

"They shall see, then," he cried, wrathfully, "if I turn pale and
tremble before the soldiers."

He was in this state of mind when the door opened to admit the Marquis
de Courtornieu, who, after seeing Mlle. Lacheneur leave the prison, came
to Chanlouineau to ascertain the result of her visit.

"Well, my good fellow--" began the marquis, in his most condescending
manner.

"Leave!" cried Chanlouineau, in a fury of passion. "Leave, or----"

Without waiting to hear the end of the sentence the marquis made his
escape, greatly surprised and not a little dismayed by this sudden
change.

"What a dangerous and blood-thirsty rascal!" he remarked to the guard.
"It would, perhaps, be advisable to put him in a strait-jacket!"

Ah! there was no necessity for that. The heroic peasant had thrown
himself upon his straw pallet, oppressed with feverish anxiety.

Would Marie-Anne know how to make the best use of the weapon which he
had placed in her hands?

If he hoped so, it was because she would have as her counsellor and
guide a man in whose judgment he had the most implicit confidence--Abbe
Midon.

"Martial will be afraid of the letter," he said to himself, again and
again; "certainly he will be afraid."

In this Chanlouineau was entirely mistaken. His discernment and
intelligence were certainly above his station, but he was not
sufficiently acute to read a character like that of the young Marquis de
Sairmeuse.

The document which he had written in a moment of _abandon_ and
blindness, was almost without influence in determining his course.

He pretended to be greatly alarmed, in order to frighten his father; but
in reality he considered the threat puerile.

Marie-Anne would have obtained the same assistance from him if she had
not possessed this letter.

Other influences had decided him: the difficulties and dangers of the
undertaking, the risks to be incurred, the prejudices to be bra