"your excuses are
blasphemies. Order that man up here, and let him relate the details of
this terrible event."

"But, brother----"

"Obey, monsieur!"

The abbe made a sign, and in half a minute the man's step was heard upon
the stairs. At the same time Gourville appeared behind Fouquet, like the
guardian angel of the superintendent, pressing one finger on his lips
to enjoin observation even amidst the bursts of his grief. The minister
resumed all the serenity that human strength left at the disposal of a
heart half broken with sorrow. Danecamp appeared. "Make your report,"
said Gourville.

"Monsieur," replied the messenger, "we received orders to carry off the
prisoners, and to cry 'Vive Colbert!' whilst carrying them off."

"To burn them alive, was it not, abbe?" interrupted Gourville.

"Yes, yes, the order was given to Menneville. Menneville knew what was
to be done, and Menneville is dead."

This news appeared rather to reassure Gourville than to sadden him.

"Yes, certainly to burn them alive," said the abbe, eagerly.

"Granted, monsieur, granted," said the man, looking into the eyes
and the faces of the two interlocutors, to ascertain what there was
profitable or disadvantageous to himself in telling the truth.

"Now, proceed," said Gourville.

"The prisoners," cried Danecamp, "were brought to the Greve, and the
people, in a fury, insisted upon their being burnt instead of being
hung."

"And the people were right," said the abbe. "Go on."

"But," resumed the man, "at the moment the archers were broken, at the
moment the fire was set to one of the houses of the Place destined to
serve as a funeral-pile for the guilty, this fury, this demon, this
giant of whom I told you, and who we had been informed, was the
proprietor of the house in question, aided by a young man who
accompanied him, threw out of the window those who kept up the fire,
called to his assistance the musketeers who were in the crowd, leapt
himself from the window of the first story into the Place, and plied his
sword so desperately that the victory was restored to the archers, the
prisoners were retaken, and Menneville killed. When once recaptured,
the condemned were executed in three minutes." Fouquet, in spite of his
self-command, could not prevent a deep groan escaping him.

"And this man, the proprietor of the house, what is his name?" said the
abbe.

"I cannot tell you, not having even been able to get sight of him; my
post h