you made so many usurious loans to the Count de Remy, whom
you so roughly took to task for his forgeries. The sums repaid by
Saint-Remy were supplied him by a lady of high rank; and you may, very
probably, be called upon to make a second restitution in that case, as
well as the former; however, you may escape that in consequence of the
fear entertained of wounding the delicacy of the noble lender, were the
facts brought before the public."

"And fixed, chained here!"

"As firmly as though bound by an iron cable!"

"With such a wretch as you for my gaoler!"

"Why, it is the prince's system to punish crime by crime,--the guilty by
the hand of his accomplice. So how can you object to me?"

"Oh, rage!"

"But, unhappily, powerless rage; for until he sends me his orders to
permit you to leave this house, I shall follow you like your shadow! I,
like yourself, have placed my head in danger of falling on the scaffold;
and should I fail to perform my prescribed task of gaoler, there it
would quickly fall. So that, you perceive, my integrity as your keeper
is necessarily incorruptible. And as for our both attempting to free
ourselves by flight, that is wholly impossible. Not a step could we take
without immediately falling into the hands of those who, day and night,
keep vigilant watch around and at each door of this house."

"Death and fury! I know it."

"Then resign yourself to what is inevitable; for if even flight were
practicable, what would it do for our ultimate safety? We should be
hunted down by the officers of justice, and speedily overtaken, with
certain death before us; while, on the contrary, by your submitting and
my superintending your obedience, we are quite sure to keep our heads on
our shoulders."

"Do not exasperate me by this cool irony, or--"

"Well, go on--or what? Oh, bless you, I am not afraid of you or your
anger; but I know you too well not to adopt every precaution. I am well
armed, I can tell you; and though you may have possessed yourself of the
celebrated poisoned stiletto carried by Cecily, it would not be worth
your while to try its power on me. You are aware that I am obliged,
every two hours, to send to him who has a right to demand it a bulletin
of your precious health! Should I not present myself with the required
document, murder would be suspected, and you be taken into custody. But
I wrong you in supposing you capable of such a crime. Is it likely that,
after sacrificing more than