Wait a bit;
I'll just see that everything is all right in the cart. I'll be back
directly."

"Take something with you then as you are going down," said Madame Simon
in her querulous voice.

The man picked up a basket of linen that stood in the angle by the door.
He hoisted it on his back and shuffled away with it across the landing
and out through the gate.

"How did Capet like parting from his papa and maman?" asked Chauvelin
with a laugh.

"H'm!" growled Simon laconically. "He will find out soon enough how well
off he was under our care."

"Have the other commissaries come yet?"

"No. But they will be here directly. Citizen Cochefer is upstairs
mounting guard over Capet."

"Well, good-bye, Papa Simon," concluded Chauvelin jovially. "Citizeness,
your servant!"

He bowed with unconcealed irony to the cobbler's wife, and nodded to
Simon, who expressed by a volley of motley oaths his exact feelings with
regard to all the agents of the Committee of General Security.

"Six months of this penal servitude have we had," he said roughly, "and
no thanks or pension. I would as soon serve a ci-devant aristo as your
accursed Committee."

The man Dupont had returned. Stolidly, after the fashion of his kind,
he commenced the removal of citizen Simon's goods. He seemed a clumsy
enough creature, and Simon and his wife had to do most of the work
themselves.

Chauvelin watched the moving forms for a while, then he shrugged his
shoulders with a laugh of indifference, and turned on his heel.

CHAPTER XIX. IT IS ABOUT THE DAUPHIN

Heron was not at his lodgings when, at last, after vigorous pulls at
the bell, a great deal of waiting and much cursing, Chauvelin, closely
followed by Armand, was introduced in the chief agent's office.

The soldier who acted as servant said that citizen Heron had gone out
to sup, but would surely be home again by eight o'clock. Armand by this
time was so dazed with fatigue that he sank on a chair like a log, and
remained there staring into the fire, unconscious of the flight of time.

Anon Heron came home. He nodded to Chauvelin, and threw but a cursory
glance on Armand.

"Five minutes, citizen," he said, with a rough attempt at an apology. "I
am sorry to keep you waiting, but the new commissaries have arrived who
are to take charge of Capet. The Simons have just gone, and I want to
assure myself that everything is all right in the Tower. Cochefer
has been in charge, but I like to cast