room, where the Fleming kept his
treasure. There Louis, who asked to see, in the first place, the casket
from which the jewels of the Duke of Burgundy had been taken, then the
chimney down which the robber was supposed to have descended, easily
convinced his silversmith of the falsity of the latter supposition,
inasmuch as there was no soot on the hearth,--where, in truth, a fire
was seldom made,--and no sign that any one had passed down the flue; and
moreover that the chimney issued at a part of the roof which was almost
inaccessible. At last, after two hours of close investigation, marked
with that sagacity which distinguished the suspicious mind of Louis
XI., it was clear to him, beyond all doubt, that no one had forced an
entrance into the strong-room of his silversmith. No marks of violence
were on the locks, nor on the iron coffers which contained the gold,
silver, and jewels deposited as securities by wealthy debtors.

"If the robber opened this box," said the king, "why did he take nothing
out of it but the jewels of the Duke of Bavaria? What reason had he for
leaving that pearl necklace which lay beside them? A queer robber!"

At that remark the unhappy miser turned pale: he and the king looked at
each other for a moment.

"Then, sire, what did that robber whom you have taken under your
protection come to do here, and why did he prowl about at night?"

"If you have not guessed why, my crony, I order you to remain in
ignorance. That is one of my secrets."

"Then the devil is in my house!" cried the miser, piteously.

In any other circumstances the king would have laughed at his
silversmith's cry; but he had suddenly become thoughtful, and was
casting on the Fleming those glances peculiar to men of talent and power
which seem to penetrate the brain. Cornelius was frightened, thinking he
had in some way offended his dangerous master.

"Devil or angel, I have him, the guilty man!" cried Louis XI. abruptly.
"If you are robbed again to-night, I shall know to-morrow who did it.
Make that old hag you call your sister come here," he added.

Cornelius almost hesitated to leave the king alone in the room with his
hoards; but the bitter smile on Louis's withered lips determined him.
Nevertheless he hurried back, followed by the old woman.

"Have you any flour?" demanded the king.

"Oh yes; we have laid in our stock for the winter," she answered.

"Well, go and fetch some," said the king.

"What do you want to