o accompany you," said the soldier.
"M. de Lalande, here, is a trusty fellow, but after all he is only a
boy, and if----"

"The danger, if there be any, will come from the outside," interrupted
the Cardinal. "Let your men keep strict watch, and we will take care
of ourselves. Come;" and while Belloc slipped into a doorway, we
turned the corner and crossed to that side of the street on which the
astrologer's house stood.

Using his private signal Mazarin knocked boldly at the door; the window
above us opened, and the servant, finding who his master's visitors
were, hurried to let us in. The bolts were hastily shot back, the bars
lowered, and then the door was thrown open by the obsequious porter,
who stood bowing almost to the ground. Several lanterns suspended
along the wall shed a dim light through the passage, and a second man,
bearing another lantern, hastily came forward to conduct us.

I could not help thinking as we stepped inside, how completely the
astrologer held Mazarin in his power!

CHAPTER VIII.

The Plot is Discovered.

"Is your master at home?" asked the Cardinal.

"He is, my Lord," replied the man with a low bow; "but he is unwell,
and has retired to rest."

"Ah, my poor Martin, what a misfortune! but lead the way; he will
doubtless make an effort to receive an old friend like myself."

While one servant made the door fast, the other went forward with the
lantern, and we followed; the Cardinal, a trifle uneasy, glancing
keenly from side to side, as if half expecting to meet with some
lurking enemy. Everything, however, seemed as usual. The lower part
of the house was empty save for a woman cooking some savoury dish, and
she took not the slightest notice of us.

The fellow with the lantern opened the door of the astrologer's room,
and, lighting several wax candles, requested us to be seated while he
informed his master of our presence.

As soon as he had gone, Mazarin ordered me to explore the part screened
by the curtains, which I did, sword in hand.

"These conspirators are so crafty," he murmured, "that they make one
cautious even in the house of a friend like the worthy Martin."

"The room is empty, your Eminence."

"Ah," said he with a sigh of relief, "then we can look forward with an
untroubled mind to meeting our kind host," and, laying aside his hat
and cloak, he sat down.

In a short time the astrologer entered the room. He had put on
dressing-gown and slippers, a