wardrobe. If he found me, how could I account for, and make
him believe, this singular accident? I, therefore, held my breath, and
in spite of myself, overheard the conclusion of this conversation which,
no doubt had begun some time."

"And who was the person who was talking with the notary and shut up in
this room with him?" inquired Rodolph of Louise.

"I do not know, sir; I did not recognise the voice."

"And what were they saying?"

"No doubt they had been conversing some time; but all I heard was this:
'Nothing more easy,' said the unknown voice; 'a fellow named Bras Rouge
has put me, for the affair I mentioned to you just now, in connection
with a family of "fresh-water pirates,"[1] established on the point of a
small islet near Asnieres. They are the greatest scoundrels on earth;
the father and grandfather were guillotined; two of the sons were
condemned to the galleys for life; but there are still left a mother,
three sons, and two daughters, all as infamous as they can possibly be.
They say that at night, in order to plunder on both sides of the Seine,
they sometimes come down in their boats as low as Bercy. They are
ruffians, who will kill any one for a crown-piece; but we shall not want
their aid further than their hospitality for your lady from the country.
The Martials--that is the name of these pirates--will pass in her eyes
for an honest family of fishers. I will go, as if from you, to pay two
or three visits to your young lady. I will order her a few comforting
draughts; and at the end of a week or ten days, she will form an
acquaintance with the burial-ground of Asnieres. In villages, deaths are
looked on as nothing more than a letter by the post, whilst in Paris
they are a little more curious in such matters. But when do you send
your young lady from the provinces to the isle of Asnieres, for I must
give the Martials notice of the part they have to play?' 'She will
arrive here to-morrow, and next day I shall send her to them,' replied
M. Ferrand; 'and I shall tell her that Doctor Vincent will pay her a
visit at my request.' 'Ah, Vincent will do as well as any other name,'
said the voice."

[1] We shall hear more particulars of these worthies in another
chapter.

"What new mystery of crime and infamy?" said Rodolph, with increased
astonishment.

"New? No, sir, you will see that it is in connection with another crime
that you know of," resumed Louise, who thus continued: "I heard a
movement