could be more mortifying or more fraught with terror. The
perspiration stood on my brow as I recalled the warning which M. de
Rosny had uttered against Cardinal Retz, or noted down the various
points of knowledge which were in Father Antoine's possession. He knew
every event of the last month, with one exception, and could tell, I
verily believed, how many crowns I had in my pouch. Conceding this, and
the secret sources of information he must possess, what hope had I of
keeping my future movements from him? Mademoiselle's arrival would be
known to him before she had well passed the gates; nor was it likely,
or even possible, that I should again succeed in reaching the king's
presence untraced and unsuspected. In fine, I saw myself, equally with
Bruhl, a puppet in this man's hands, my goings out and my comings in
watched and reported to him, his mercy the only bar between myself
and destruction. At any moment I might be arrested as a Huguenot, the
enterprise in which I was engaged ruined, and Mademoiselle de la Vire
exposed to the violence of Bruhl or the equally dangerous intrigues of
the League.

Under these circumstances I fancied sleep impossible; but habit and
weariness are strong persuaders, and when I reached my lodging I slept
long and soundly, as became a man who had looked danger in the face more
than once. The morning light too brought an accession both of courage
and hope. I reflected on the misery of my condition at St. Jean
d'Angely, without friends or resources, and driven to herd with such
a man as Fresnoy. And telling myself that the gold crowns which M. de
Rosny had lavished upon me were not for nothing, nor the more precious
friendship with which he had honoured me a gift that called for no
return, I rose with new spirit and a countenance which threw Simon
Fleix who had seen me lie down the picture of despair--into the utmost
astonishment.

'You have had good dreams,' he said, eyeing me jealously and with a
disturbed air.

'I had a very evil one last night,' I answered lightly, wondering a
little why he looked at me so, and why he seemed to resent my return
to hopefulness and courage. I might have followed this train of thought
further with advantage, since I possessed a clue to his state of mind;
but at that moment a summons at the door called him away to it, and
he presently ushered in M. d'Agen, who, saluting me with punctilious
politeness, had not said fifty words before he introduced the subje