y instruments of his fresh crime.

"'Bradamanti,' said the man to me," continued Nicholas; "that was the
password agreed upon by the old woman, that I might know my man.
'Ravageur,' says I, as was agreed. 'Is your name Martial?' he asked.
'Yes, master.' 'A woman was at your isle to-day: what did she say to
you?' 'That you wished to speak to me on the part of M. Bradamanti.'
'You have a boat?' 'We have four, that's our number: boatmen and
ravageurs, from father to son, at your service.' 'This is what I want
you to do if you are not afraid--' 'Afraid of what, master?' 'Of seeing
a person accidentally drowned. Only you must assist with the accident.
Do you understand?' 'Perfectly, master; we must make some individual
have a draught of the Seine, as if by accident? I'll do it; only, as the
dish to be dressed is a dainty one, why, the seasoning will cost rather
dear.' 'How much for two?' 'For two? What! are there two persons who are
to have a mess of broth in the river?' 'Yes.' 'Five hundred francs a
head, master; that's not too dear.' 'Agreed, for a thousand francs.'
'Money down, master?' 'Two hundred francs now, and the rest afterwards.'
'Then you doubt me, master?' 'No; you may pocket the two hundred
francs, without completing the bargain.' 'And you may say, after it's
done, "Don't you wish you may get it?"' 'That as may be; but does it
suit you? yes or no. Two hundred francs down, and on the evening of the
day after to-morrow, here, at nine o'clock, I will give you the eight
hundred francs.' 'And who will inform you that I have done the trick
with these two persons?' 'I shall know; that is my affair. Is it a
bargain?' 'Yes, master.' 'Here are two hundred francs. Now listen to me;
you will know again the old woman who was at your house this morning?'
'Yes, master.' 'To-morrow, or next day at latest, you will see her come,
about four o'clock in the evening, on the bank in face of your island
with a young fair girl. The old woman will make a signal to you by
waving her handkerchief.' 'Yes, master.' 'What time does it take to go
from the bank-side to your island?' 'Twenty minutes, quite.' 'Your boats
are flat-bottomed?' 'Flat as your hand, master.' 'Then you must make,
very skilfully, a sort of large hole in the bottom of one of these
boats, so that, when you open it, the water may flow in rapidly. Do you
understand?' 'Quite well, master; how clever you are! I have by me a
worn-out old boat, half rotten, that I was going to b