ice is enhanced by the cost of carriage; the gentleman
had therefore had a considerable quantity delivered to him, knowing
that he could always find purchasers for what might be left. It was this
circumstance which suggested the plan he carried out.

"'Gorenflot is here, sir,' said Rosalie in a whisper.

"'Tell him to come in,' said her master aloud.

"Madame de Merret turned paler when she saw the mason.

"'Gorenflot,' said her husband, 'go and fetch some bricks from the
coach-house; bring enough to wall up the door of this cupboard; you can
use the plaster that is left for cement.' Then, dragging Rosalie and the
workman close to him--'Listen, Gorenflot,' said he, in a low voice,
'you are to sleep here to-night; but to-morrow morning you shall have a
passport to take you abroad to a place I will tell you of. I will give
you six thousand francs for your journey. You must live in that town for
ten years; if you find you do not like it, you may settle in another,
but it must be in the same country. Go through Paris and wait there till
I join you. I will there give you an agreement for six thousand francs
more, to be paid to you on your return, provided you have carried out
the conditions of the bargain. For that price you are to keep perfect
silence as to what you have to do this night. To you, Rosalie, I will
secure ten thousand francs, which will not be paid to you till your
wedding day, and on condition of your marrying Gorenflot; but, to get
married, you must hold your tongue. If not, no wedding gift!'

"'Rosalie,' said Madame de Merret, 'come and brush my hair.'

"Her husband quietly walked up and down the room, keeping an eye on the
door, on the mason, and on his wife, but without any insulting display
of suspicion. Gorenflot could not help making some noise. Madame de
Merret seized a moment when he was unloading some bricks, and when her
husband was at the other end of the room to say to Rosalie: 'My dear
child, I will give you a thousand francs a year if only you will tell
Gorenflot to leave a crack at the bottom.' Then she added aloud quite
coolly: 'You had better help him.'

"Monsieur and Madame de Merret were silent all the time while Gorenflot
was walling up the door. This silence was intentional on the husband's
part; he did not wish to give his wife the opportunity of saying
anything with a double meaning. On Madame de Merret's side it was pride
or prudence. When the wall was half built up the cunning