sk."

"I must take a look at them, Rene, and whilst I am looking I shall
search my pocket for another louis. Now let me in."

"I dare not, Monsieur. Maitre Bernard may call me, and if the doors are
not closed--"

"Dame!" I broke in. "I shall stay but a moment."

"But--"

"And you will have easily earned a louis d'or. If Bernard calls
you--peste, tell him that you have let fall something, and that you are
seeking it. There, let me pass."

I got past him at last, and made my way swiftly towards the other end of
the quadrangle.

As I approached, the sound of voices smote my ear, for the lighted
window stood open. I stopped within half a dozen paces of it, and
climbed on to the step of a coach that stood there. Thence I could look
straight into the room, whilst the darkness hid me from the eyes of
those I watched.

Three men there were; Montresor, the sergeant of his troop, and a tall
man dressed in black, and wearing a black silk mask. This I concluded
to be St. Auban, despite the profusion of fair locks that fell upon his
shoulders, concealing--I rightly guessed--his natural hair, which was as
black as my own. It was a cunning addition to his disguise, and one well
calculated to lead people on to the wrong scent hereafter.

Presently, as I watched them, St. Auban spoke, and his voice was that
of a man whose gums are toothless, or else whose nether lip is drawn
in over his teeth whilst he speaks. Here again the dissimulation was as
effective as it was simple.

"So; that is concluded," were the words that reached me. "To-morrow
we will install our men at the chateau, for while we remain here it is
preposterous to lodge them at an inn. On the following day I hope that
we may be able to set out again."

"If we could obtain fresh horses--" began the sergeant, when he of the
mask interrupted him.

"Sangdieu! Think you my purse is bottomless? We return as we came, with
the Cardinal's horses. What signify a day or two, after all? Come--call
the landlord to light me to my room."

I had heard enough. But more than that, whilst I listened, an idea had
of a sudden sprung up in my mind which did away with the necessity
of gaining speech with Montresor--a contingency, moreover, that now
presented insuperable difficulties.

So I got down softly from my perch and made my way out of the yard, and,
after fulfilling my part of the bargain with Rene, across to the Vigne
d'Or and to my room, there to sit and mature the plan