other would do,
but you see I have some foolish ideas--I cannot lie."

"Whoever cannot lie cannot act," replied the captain; "but what do I see
there? The bayonets of the watch; amicable institution, I recognize you
there; always a quarter of an hour too late. But now adieu, colonel,"
continued he; "there is your road, we must separate," said the captain,
showing the Passage du Palais Royal, "and here is mine," added he,
pointing to the Rue Neuve des Petits-Champs; "go quietly, that they may
not know that you ought to run as fast as you can, your hand on your hip
so, and singing 'La Mere Gaudichon.'" And the captain followed the Rue
de Valois at the same pace as the watch, who were a hundred paces behind
him, singing carelessly as he went.

As to the chevalier, he re-entered the Rue des Bons Enfants, now as
quiet as it had been noisy ten minutes before; and at the corner of the
Rue Baillif he found the carriage, which, according to its orders, had
not moved, and was waiting with the door open, the servant at the step,
and the coachman on his box.

"To the arsenal," said the chevalier.

"It is useless," said a voice which made D'Harmental start; "I know all
that has passed, and I will inform those who ought to know. A visit at
this hour would be dangerous for all."

"Is it you, abbe?" said D'Harmental, trying to recognize Brigaud in the
livery in which he was disguised; "you would render me a real service in
taking the news instead of me, for on my honor I do not know what to
say."

"Well, I shall say," said Brigaud, "that you are a brave and loyal
gentleman, and that if there were ten like you in France, all would soon
be finished; but we are not here to pay compliments: get in
quickly--where shall I take you?"

"It is useless," said D'Harmental; "I will go on foot."

"Get in. It is safer."

D'Harmental complied, and Brigaud, dressed as he was, came and sat
beside him.

"To the corner of the Rue du Gros Chenet and the Rue de Clery," said the
abbe.

The coachman, impatient at having waited so long, obeyed quickly. At the
place indicated the carriage stopped; the chevalier got out, and soon
disappeared round the corner of the Rue du Temps-Perdu. As to the
carriage, it rolled on noiselessly toward the Boulevards, like a fairy
car which does not touch the earth.

CHAPTER XV.

JEAN BUVAT.

Our readers must now make a better acquaintance with one of the
principal personages in the history which we