her agent whom I can employ. And
by to-morrow at latest----"

"You may still have the thing in your hands."

"I think so. I certainly think so."

"Good. Then till to-morrow," Fabri answered, as he took his cap from the
table and with the others turned towards the door. "Good luck, Messer
Blondel. We are reassured. We feel that our interests are in good
hands."

"Yes," said Petitot almost warmly. "Still, caution, caution! Messer
Blondel. One bad man within the gates----"

"May be hung!" Blondel cried gaily.

"Ay, may be! But unhung is a graver foe than five hundred men without!
It is that I would have you bear in mind."

"I will bear it in mind," the Fourth Syndic answered. "And when I can
hang him," with a vindictive look, "be sure I will--and high as Haman!"

He attended them with solicitude to the door, being set by what had
happened a little more upon his behaviour. That done and the outer door
closed upon them, he returned to the parlour, but did not at once seek
the young man, upon whom he had taken the precaution of turning the key.

Instead he stood a while, pondering with a pale face; a haggard, paler
replica he seemed of the stiff, hard portrait on the panel over the
mantel. He was wondering why he had let himself go so foolishly; he was
recognising with a sinking heart that it was to his illness he owed it
that he had so frequently of late lost control of himself.

For a man to discover that the power of self-mastery is passing from him
is only a degree less appalling than the consciousness of insanity
itself; and Blondel cowered, trembling under the thought. If aught
could strengthen his purpose it was the suspicion that the insidious
disease from which he suffered was already sapping the outworks of that
mind on whose clever combinations he depended for his one chance of
cure.

Yet while the thought strengthened, it terrified him. "I must make no
second mistake--no second mistake!" he muttered, his eyes on the door of
the serving-room. "No second mistake!" And he waited a while considering
the matter in all its aspects. Should he tell Louis more than he had
told him already? It seemed needless. To send the lad with curt, stern
words to fetch that which he had omitted to bring--this seemed the more
straight-forward way: and the more certain, too, since the lad had now
seen the other magistrates, and could have no doubt of their concurrence
or of the importance of the task entrusted to him. Blonde