ont. Here and there an oil-lamp, swinging from a
pulley in the middle of the road, enabled us to avoid some obstacle
more foul than usual, or to leap over a pool which had formed in the
kennel. Even in my excitement, my country-bred senses rebelled against
the sights, and smells, the noisome air and oppressive closeness of the
streets.

The town was quiet, and very dark where the smoky lamps were not
hanging. Yet I wondered if it ever slept, for more than once we had to
stand aside to give passage to a party of men, hurrying along with
links and arms. Several times too, especially towards the end of our
walk, I was surprised by the flashing of bright lights in a courtyard,
the door of which stood half open to right or left. Once I saw the
glow of torches reflected ruddily in the windows of a tall and splendid
mansion, a little withdrawn from the street. The source of the light
was in the fore-court, hidden from us by a low wall, but I caught the
murmur of voices and stir of many feet. Once a gate was stealthily
opened and two armed men looked out, the act and their manner of doing
it, reminding me on the instant of those who had peeped out to inspect
us some hours before in Bezers' house. And once, nay twice, in the
mouth of a narrow alley I discerned a knot of men standing motionless
in the gloom. There was an air of mystery abroad, a feeling as of
solemn stir and preparation going on under cover of the darkness, which
awed and unnerved me.

But I said nothing of this, and Madame d'O was equally silent. Like
most countrymen I was ready to believe in any exaggeration of the
city's late hours, the more as she made no remark. I supposed--shaking
off the momentary impression--that what I saw was innocent and normal.
Besides, I was thinking what I should say to Pavannes when I saw
him--in what terms I should warn him of his peril, and cast his perfidy
in his teeth. We had hurried along in this way--and in absolute
silence, save when some obstacle or pitfall drew from us an
exclamation--for about a quarter of a mile, when my companion, turning
into a slightly wider street, slackened her speed, and indicated by a
gesture that we had arrived. A lamp hung over the porch, to which she
pointed, and showed the small side gate half open. We were close
behind the other three now. I saw Croisette stoop to enter and as
quickly fall back a pace. Why?

In a moment it flashed across my mind that we were too late that th