diameter, which had shot up in an angle of the
wall, reaching a window, concealed by its branches.

"Have you a knife?" said Monk to the fisherman.

"Yes, monsieur."

"Cut down this tree, then."

The fisherman obeyed, but not without notching his cutlass. When the
ash was cut and fashioned into the shape of a lever, the three men
penetrated into the vault.

"Stop where you are," said Monk to the fisherman. "We are going to dig
up some powder; your light may be dangerous."

The man drew back in a sort of terror, and faithfully kept to the post
assigned him, whilst Monk and Athos turned behind a column at the foot
of which, penetrating through a crack, was a moonbeam, reflected exactly
on the stone which the Comte de la Fere had come so far in search.

"This is it," said Athos, pointing out to the general the Latin
inscription.

"Yes," said Monk.

Then, as if still willing to leave the Frenchman one means of evasion,--

"Do you not observe that this vault has already been broken into,"
continued he, "and that several statues have already been knocked down?"

"My lord, you have, without doubt, heard that the religious respect
of your Scots loves to confide to the statues of the dead the valuable
objects they have possessed during their lives. Therefore, the soldiers
had reason to think that under the pedestals of the statues which
ornament most of these tombs, a treasure was hidden. They have
consequently broken down pedestal and statue: but the tomb of the
venerable cannon, with which we have to do, is not distinguished by
any monument. It is simple, therefore it has been protected by the
superstitious fear which your Puritans have always had of sacrilege. Not
a morsel of the masonry of this tomb has been chipped off."

"That is true," said Monk.

Athos seized the lever.

"Shall I help you?" said Monk.

"Thank you, my lord; but I am not willing that your honor should
lend your hand to a work of which, perhaps, you would not take the
responsibility if you knew the probable consequences of it."

Monk raised his head.

"What do you mean by that, monsieur?"

"I mean--but that man--"

"Stop," said Monk; "I perceive what you are afraid of. I shall make a
trial." Monk turned towards the fisherman, the whole of whose profile
was thrown upon the wall.

"Come here, friend!" said he in English, and in a tone of command.

The fisherman did not stir.

"That is well," continued he: "he does not know English