es, your proposal appears to be a good one. How
about writing in another name? A little forgery would make our hands
stronger." He rose, and taking the tailor into the window recess, again
whispered to him.

During this conversation Paul's cheek had grown paler and paler, for,
occupied as he was, he could not fail to comprehend something of what
was going on. During the breakfast Mascarin had partially disclosed many
strange secrets, and since then he had been even more enlightened. It
was but too evident to him that his protector was engaged in some dark
and insidious plot, and Paul felt that he was standing over a mine which
might explode at any moment. He now began to fancy that there was
some mysterious link between the woman Schimmel, who was so carefully
watched, and the Marquis de Croisenois, so haughty, and yet on such
intimate terms with the proprietor of the registry office. Then there
was the Countess de Mussidan, Flavia, the rich heiress, and Gaston de
Gandelu, who was to be led into a crime the result of which would be
penal servitude,--all jumbled and mixed up together in one strange
phantasmagoria. Was he, Paul, to be a mere tool in such hands? Toward
what a precipice was he being impelled! Mascarin and Van Klopen were not
friends, as he had at first supposed, but confederates in villainy. Too
late did he begin to see collusion between Mascarin and Tantaine, which
had resulted in his being accused of theft during his absence. But the
web had been woven too securely, and should he struggle to break through
it, he might find himself exposed to even more terrible dangers. He felt
horrified at his position, but with this there was mingled no horror of
the criminality of his associates, for the skilful hand of Mascarin had
unwound and mastered all the bad materials of his nature. He was dazzled
at the glorious future held out before him, and said to himself that a
man like Mascarin, unfettered by law, either human or Divine, would be
most likely to achieve his ends. "I should be in no danger," mused he to
himself, "if I yield myself up to the impetuous stream which is already
carrying me along, for Mascarin is practised swimmer enough to keep both
my head and his own above water."

Little did Paul think that every fleeting expression in his countenance
was caught up and treasured by the wily Mascarin; and it was
intentionally that he had permitted Paul to listen to this compromising
conversation. He had decid