ble; in the other, tables and garden chairs,
which had once been painted green. Two narrow windows, with their
cracked panes festooned with spiders' webs, cast a dim but not religious
light on the damp walls.

Rodolph was alone for one moment only, during which Bras Rouge and the
Schoolmaster had time to exchange some words, rapidly uttered, and some
mysterious signs.

"You'll take a glass of beer,--or brandy, perhaps,--whilst we wait for
Finette?" said the Schoolmaster.

"No; I am not thirsty."

"Do as you like,--I am for a 'drain' of brandy," said the ruffian; and
he seated himself on one of the little green tables in the second
apartment.

Darkness came on to this den so completely, that it was impossible to
see in one of the angles of this inner apartment the open mouth of one
of those cellars which are entered by a door in two divisions, one of
which was constantly kept open for the convenience of access. The table
at which the Schoolmaster sat was close upon this dark and deep hole,
and he turned his back upon it, so that it was entirely concealed from
Rodolph's view.

He was looking through the window, in order to command his countenance
and conceal the workings of his thoughts. The sight of Murphy speeding
through the Allee des Veuves did not quite assure him; he was afraid
that the worthy squire had not quite understood the full meaning of his
note, necessarily so laconic, and containing only these words:

"This evening--ten o'clock. Be on your guard."

Resolved not to go to the Allee des Veuves before that moment, nor to
lose sight of the Schoolmaster for an instant, he yet trembled at the
idea of losing the only opportunity that might ever be afforded him of
obtaining that secret which he was so excessively anxious to possess.
Although he was powerful and well armed, yet he had to deal with an
unscrupulous assassin, capable of any and every thing. Not desiring,
however, that his thoughts should be detected, he seated himself at the
table with the Schoolmaster, and, by way of seeming at his ease, called
for a glass of something. Bras Rouge having exchanged a few words, in a
low tone, with the brigand, looked at Rodolph with an air in which
curiosity, distrust, and contempt were mingled.

"It is my advice, young man," said the Schoolmaster, "that if my wife
informs us that the persons we wish to see are within, we had better
make our call about eight o'clock."

"That will be two hours too soon," sa