rang into the room.

"Do you like to stop here?" asked Madame de Sabran.

"Yes," said Ravanne; "I will go and look for Canillac and his
night-watch."

"No, no," said the regent; "they will be scaling your house and treating
it as a town taken by assault. Let us gain the Palais Royal."

And they descended the staircase rapidly and opened the garden door.
There they heard the despairing blows of their pursuers against the iron
gates.

"Strike, strike, my friends," said the regent, running with the
carelessness and activity of a young man, "the gate is solid, and will
give you plenty of work."

"Quick, quick, monseigneur," cried Simiane, who, thanks to his great
height, had jumped to the ground hanging by his arms, "there they are at
the end of the Rue de Valois. Put your foot on my shoulder--now the
other--and let yourself slip into my arms. You are saved, thank God."

"Draw your sword, Ravanne, and let us charge these fellows," said the
regent.

"In the name of Heaven, monseigneur," cried Simiane, "follow us. I am
not a coward, I believe, but what you would do is mere folly. Here,
Ravanne."

And the young men, each taking one of the duke's arms, led him down a
passage of the Palais Royal at the moment when those who were running by
the Rue de Valois were at twenty paces from them, and when the door of
the passage fell under the efforts of the second troop. The whole
reunited band rushed against the gate at the moment that the three
gentlemen closed it behind them.

"Gentlemen," said the regent, saluting with his hand, for as to his hat,
Heaven knows where that was; "I hope, for the sake of your heads, that
all this was only a joke, for you are attacking those who are stronger
than yourselves. Beware, to-morrow, of the lieutenant of police.
Meanwhile, good-night."

And a triple shout of laughter petrified the two conspirators leaning
against the gate at the head of their breathless companions.

"This man must have a compact with Satan," cried D'Harmental.

"We have lost the bet, my friends," said Roquefinette, addressing his
men, who stood waiting for orders, "but we do not dismiss you yet; it is
only postponed. As to the promised sum, you have already had half:
to-morrow--you know where, for the rest. Good-evening. I shall be at the
rendezvous to-morrow."

All the people dispersed, and the two chiefs remained alone.

"Well, colonel," said Roquefinette, looking D'Harmental full in the
face.

"Well, c