terranean passage to the first gate; it was closed
but not locked. They entered the funereal vault. Here was more than
solitude, more than silence; here was death. The bravest felt a shiver
in the roots of their hair.

Roland went from tomb to tomb, sounding each with the butt of the pistol
he held in his hand. Silence everywhere. They crossed the vault, reached
the second gate, and entered the chapel. The same silence, the same
solitude; all was deserted, as it seemed, for years. Roland went
straight to the choir; there lay the blood on the stones; no one had
taken the trouble to efface it. Here was the end of his search, which
had proved futile. Roland could not bring himself to retreat. He fancied
he was not attacked because of his numerous escort; he therefore left
ten men and a torch in the chapel, told them to put themselves in
communication, through the ruined window, with the captain of the
gendarmerie, who was ambushed in the forest within a few feet of the
window, while he himself, with two men, retraced his steps.

This time the two men who followed Roland thought him more than brave,
they considered him foolhardy. But Roland, caring little whether they
followed or not, retraced his own steps in default of those of the
bandits. The two men, ashamed, followed him.

Undoubtedly the Chartreuse was deserted. When Roland reached the great
portal, he called to the colonel of dragoons; he and his men were
at their post. Roland opened the door and joined them. They had seen
nothing, heard nothing. The whole party entered the monastery, closing
and barricading the door behind them to cut off the bandits' retreat,
if they were fortunate enough to meet any. Then they hastened to rejoin
their comrades, who, on their side, had united with the captain and his
eight men, and were waiting for them in the choir.

There was nothing for it but to retire. Two o'clock had just struck;
nearly three hours had been spent in fruitless search. Roland,
rehabilitated in the estimation of the gendarmes and the dragoons, who
saw that the ex-novice did not shirk danger, regretfully gave the signal
for retreat by opening the door of the chapel which looked toward the
forest.

This time Roland merely closed the door behind him, there being no
longer any hope of encountering the brigands. Then the little troop
returned to Bourg at a quick step. The captain of gendarmerie, with his
eighteen men and Roland, re-entered the barracks, while t