ting together the scattered
weapons, fastening the wrists of the prisoners with cords, and
ransacking the house for such proofs of the conspiracy as might
criminate others at a distance. By the time these operations were
concluded, the day began to break, and I could distinguish in the
courtyard several large covered carts or charrettes destined to convey
the prisoners. One of these was given up entirely to the chief, who,
although only slightly wounded, would never assist himself in the least,
but lay a heavy, inert mass, suffering the others to lift him and place
him in the cart. Such as were too badly wounded to be moved were placed
in a room in the chateau, a guard being left over them.

A sergeant of the _gendarmerie_ now approached me as I stood, and
commenced, without a word, to examine me for any papers or documents
that might be concealed about my person.

"You are in error," said I, quietly. "I have nothing of what you
suspect."

"Do you call this nothing?" interrupted he, triumphantly, as he drew
forth the parchment commission I had placed in my bosom, and forgot to
restore to De Beauvais. "_Parbleu!_ you'd have had a better memory had
your plans succeeded."

"Give it here," said an officer, as he saw the sergeant devouring the
document with his eyes. "Ah!" cried he, starting, "he was playing a high
stake, too. Let him be closely secured."

While the orders of the officer were being followed up, the various
prisoners were secured in the carts, mounted dragoons stationed at
either side, their carbines held unslung in their hands. At last my turn
came, and I was ordered to mount into a _charrette_ with two gendarmes,
whose orders respecting any effort at escape on my part were pretty
clearly indicated by the position of two pistols carried at either side
of me.

A day of heavy, unremitting rain, without any wind or storm, succeeded
to the night of tempest. Dark inky clouds lay motionless near the earth,
whose surface became blacker by the shadow. A weighty and lowering
atmosphere added to the gloom I felt, and neither in my heart within nor
in the world without could I find one solitary consolation.

At first I dreaded lest my companions should address me,--a single
question would have wrung my very soul; but happily they maintained a
rigid silence, nor did they even speak to each other during the
entire journey. At noon we halted at a small roadside cabaret, where
refreshments were provided, and relay