y lights; but you have never in any way rewarded me."

"I have suffered you to be near me," she said, haughtily.

"Add that you regret it."

"After involving me in this infamous enterprise, do you think that I
have any thanks to give you?"

"When I proposed to you an enterprise which was not exempt from blame to
timid minds," he replied, audaciously, "I had only your own prosperity
in view. As for me, whether I succeed or fail, I can make all results
further my ends. If you marry Montauran, I shall be delighted to serve
the Bourbons in Paris, where I am already a member of the Clichy club.
Now, if circumstances were to put me in correspondence with the princes
I should abandon the interests of the Republic, which is already on its
last legs. General Bonaparte is much too able a man not to know that he
can't be in England and in Italy at the same time, and that is how the
Republic is about to fall. I have no doubt he made the 18th Brumaire
to obtain greater advantages over the Bourbons when it came to
treating with them. He is a long-headed fellow, and very keen; but the
politicians will get the better of him on their own ground. The betrayal
of France is another scruple which men of superiority leave to fools.
I won't conceal from you that I have come here with the necessary
authority to open negotiations with the Chouans, _or_ to further their
destruction, as the case may be; for Fouche, my patron, is deep; he
has always played a double part; during the Terror he was as much for
Robespierre as for Danton--"

"Whom you basely abandoned," she said.

"Nonsense; he is dead,--forget him," replied Corentin. "Come, speak
honestly to me; I have set you the example. Old Hulot is deeper than
he looks; if you want to escape his vigilance, I can help you. Remember
that he holds all the valleys and will instantly detect a rendezvous. If
you make one in Fougeres, under his very eyes, you are at the mercy of
his patrols. See how quickly he knew that this Chouan had entered your
house. His military sagacity will show him that your movements betray
those of the Gars--if Montauran loves you."

Mademoiselle de Verneuil had never listened to a more affectionate
voice; Corentin certainly seemed sincere, and spoke confidingly. The
poor girl's heart was so open to generous impressions that she was on
the point of betraying her secret to the serpent who had her in his
folds, when it occurred to her that she had no proof beyond his own