stairs Roland turned down a corridor equally dark, went
twenty steps, opened a door, and entered his own room. Morgan followed
him. The room was lighted by two wax candles only. Once there, Morgan
took off his cloak and laid his pistols on the table.

"What are you doing?" asked Roland.

"Faith! with your permission," replied Morgan, gayly, "I am making
myself comfortable."

"But those pistols you have just laid aside--"

"Ah! did you think I brought them for you?"

"For whom then?"

"Why, that damned police! You can readily imagine that I am not disposed
to let citizen Fouche lay bold of me, without burning the mustache of
the first of his minions who lays hands on me."

"But once here you feel you have nothing to fear?"

"The deuce!" exclaimed the young man; "I have your word."

"Then why don't you unmask?"

"Because my face only half belongs to me; the other half belongs to my
companions. Who knows if one of us being recognized might not drag the
others to the guillotine? For of course you know, colonel, we don't hide
from ourselves that that is the price of our game!"

"Then why risk it?"

"Ah! what a question. Why do you venture on the field of battle, where a
bullet may plow through your breast or a cannon-ball lop off your head?"

"Permit me to say that that is different. On the battlefield I risk an
honorable death."

"Ah! do you suppose that on the day I get my head cut off by the
revolutionary triangle I shall think myself dishonored? Not the least in
the world. I am a soldier like you, only we can't all serve our cause in
the same way. Every religion has its heroes and its martyrs; happy the
heroes in this world, and happy the martyrs in the next."

The young man uttered these words with a conviction which moved, or
rather astonished, Roland.

"But," continued Morgan, abandoning his enthusiasm to revert to the
gayety which seemed the distinctive trait of his character, "I did not
come here to talk political philosophy. I came to ask you to let me
speak to the First Consul."

"What! speak to the First Consul?" exclaimed Roland.

"Of course. Read my letter over; did I not tell you that I had a request
to make?"

"Yes."

"Well, that request is to let me speak to General Bonaparte."

"But permit me to say that as I did not expect that request--"

"It surprises you; makes you uneasy even. My dear colonel, if you don't
believe my word, you can search me from head to foot, and you will fi